nits

[feta]

I was shocked to overhear a conversation in the playground recently. There seemed to be a sense of outrage that nits were about and one mother said she told her dc to keep away from the children she thought had them. Call me old fashioned but isn't it part and parcel of school life and arn't the nits pretty indiscriminate about who they live with? on another level is it wise to label children and instruct your children to avoid them?

They probably came from that mothers' children...

I think you're right to be a bit cross about one parent suggesting that particular children may have them - that's just horrible - but I don't really understand why they are part and parcel, etc.

I know I have to accept that they are but, honestly, in the dark ages (when I was at shool) we had two nit incidents in my entire school-life. I think they're more prevalent now and I'd love to know why (just because I'm a real saddo and things like that bother me).

I've pretty much learned to live with nits - but I have to admit that when we're all nit-free (4 DC, me and DH), which isn't often, I am tempted to instruct my offspring to avoid children scratching their heads. It's just an annoying fact of life that no matter how vigilant you are, and whatever expensive and/or time consuming treatments you go in for, it doesn't take much for your DC to get re-infested. Maybe the mother was just fed up with wet combing and boiling the bedding...

Nits aren't horribly particular. They don't choose hair by class. I always have to laugh when people get all snooty about it. DS2 hasn't had them yet, but we're prepared, just in case. It's an unfortunate part of school life.

Nits are more prevalent now because they have got more resistant to nit treatment. Bound to happen.

At our school, it does seem to be that those who 'protest the loudest' have the biggest problem.

I personally believe that it's because too many people rely on the chemicals to sort the problem and so, a week later, eggs hatch, childs hair is re-infested, there's parent again at school office complaining.

I was recommended a very good cure, but not licensed for humans so, no, I won't tell you what it is, by a lady whose child attends a very prestigious local public school, so, no, nits pay no attention to class.

Do boys get nits less often - genuine question - my DS is 9 and has never (yet!) had nits, despite numerous 'nit letters' from school; he always has v. short hair cut - is this just luck?............scratches head (!!!)

We used to have a real problem with nits and then I started plaiting my DDs hair back off her face and using Nitty Gritty spray every morning. Hey-ho not a nit in sight and we're several weeks into the term!

If people use the treatments correctly (ie. reapply a week later) and keep combing they are fairly easy to get rid of in my experience. Staying nit free is the problem!

What infuriates me are the parents who refuse to put chemicals on their little darlings (fair enough) but then don't bother to comb thoroughly (or at all) and send their infested children to school to spread the joy to the rest of the children who have been deloused properly. One mum at my DDs school was overheard saying "oh we find them periodically, no big deal, it's only nits"...

erm..has anyone else started scratching since reading this post??

Ragwort, I have read (not sure if it is true) that nits don't like testosterone, and, combined with short hair means boys don't tend to get nits as much.

Thanks TheCrackFox - another good reason to keep DS's hair unfashionably short (no Boden surfer style allowed here ).

I'm itching like a mad women.

I wonder if the demise of the nit nurse has had an effect? My DD brings home 'nits in the classroom' notes all the time, but I'm not aware of anyone being blamed for them. She has never had them so I'm hoping that she is immune.

Central heating is supposed to be one of the factors in the prevalence of nits and headlice.

Unfortunately, anyone can get them regardless of whether they are male or female, have dirty or clean hair etc.

Apparently once children reach about 10 y o they are not as likely to get headlice as children don't tend to have as close physical contact with each other, e.g. walking around with arms around each other.

That said my ds didn't get headlice until he reached yr5 at his new middle school.

No thanks Nitcontroller. Who would pay for this? Talk about parental passing the buck - ooh, it upsets my child with long hair to get rid of nits - a nit nurse doesn't change that! Ooh - the treatment is expensive - you think the NHS should pay for that? Or spend the time combing, which is cheap, because you can't be bothered?