Nit Week? A good idea?

[mumnosbest]

After battling the little buggers all year at school and then again at home with DD1, culminating in finding 1 in DD2's (6 months) hair, I want to blitz the nits and have a nit-free class next year.

Here's my plan:
I'm going to start the term off with a visit from the school nurse (possibly after school for parents too), give out nit combs and stickers plus info sheets. We'll have a week of all parents combing hair at home, children ticking their charts each day and a small treat for those who do it. I'll then repeat this half termly. If everyone in the class gets rid of headlice at the same time we should reduce infestations and hopefully break the never ending cycle. I'm also hoping that this will encourage some good habbits amongst less concientious parents and reassure those parents that do comb and de-louse that we are doing something about the problem. I want to make it fun for the kids so that it's not embarassing.

What do you think? My negative, can't be bothered colleague says it's a bit patronising and parents wont bother. I'd be over the moon if DDs class did this.

I have had this problem and contacted the school. The school policy is that it is a social problem, and they are not allowed to give out letters telling people there is an outbreak. I have been in tears as DD has really thick hair but the school refuse all attempts at sorting the problem. I do not have a problem telling other mums that DD has nits and to treat them, however school say No because of stigma. Its awful. The thing is there is always at least one parent who is in denial, and refuses to believe its their DCs.
The best advice I can give is get a nitty gritty comb, and go through hair every night. The little buggers can't always be seen, DD has has nits when I couldnt see any with naked eye in head but combing showed they were there. If you get your school on board that would be great and perhaps set a precedent, but don't hold your breath, i even contacted director of education who just emailed me policy of school non interference. it wasnt called that but basically thats what it was.

I absolutely agree with you.
Your colleague; not sure how it's patronising but she's right lots won't bother.
Then that makes it pointless for the ones that do.
Bring back the nit nurse, and re-attach the stigma is what I say.
Good luck.

Thanks! *msrantsalot8 No schools are 'not allowed' to adress the problem of nits. Although we can nolonger send children home pending treatment, which used to work!. I think your school/LEA are being a bit neglectful here. If you look on NASWT, NUT or ATL (teacher union) websites, there's advice on how schools should deal with the issue. This involves sending out a generic letter to all parents (not singling people out), calling in a school nurse for advice and even referring individual families for home visits and head searches at home. There's certainly enough schools can and should be doing.

I'm hoping excitement and pressure from their DCs will force parents to act (Year 1s)

well let me know how you get on. I have experience of one mum who claimed psoriasis of the scalp when the lice were so big you could see them from 2 feet away! I have tried all the potions, they stink and upset DD and don't work anyway. But my nitty gritty comb defo does the job, its a shame I have to do it so often because of others who won't.

Agree completely mrsrantsalot i too have a nitty gritty but recently boughht boots electric comb. Its no more effective but so satisfying. Everytime the buzz stops you know youve got 1

just dont drop it in the bath!

Norman nit here,

It's no good you know, you can comb and comb and poison all you like.

Me and my DW Nora will be back!

And we'll bring DS 1-1000 and DD 1-1000 with us

(I just hope that with both DDs at secondary school, Norman will go somewhere else)

As good an idea as it is, I dont think it would work. The ones who need to do it but never do will probably still not do it. Plus, if your school is the only one doing it, the children will just catch them off friends from other schools. Let us know how it goes if you try it though!

scratches head just thinking about it

I think it is a good idea even if not everyone gets on board. OK you may not solve the nit crisis in the classroom but it certainly highlights the issue.

Can you speak to a GP to come in maybe and let them know that the nitty gritty comb is available on prescription? (It still is isn't it?)

We have people come it to discuss dental health, etc so can't see why you couldn't do it.

And yes - our school and DD's school send out generic letters if a child in the class has nits.

It is a great idea in theory, but it's success is dependent on every member of the class/school engaging. If just one parent doesn't have time to or want to bug bust it won't eradicate it from the cohort. Rewards and incentives are not always successful; what is to stop parents saying they've bug busted every night just to get their child a sticker? We have that in other incentives activities we set up. I completely sympathise with your frustration, but I just don't see the idea working. Sorry!

Sounds like a great idea OP! But also bear in mind you may have to tailor it for any black kids you may have as well as the standard "nit" comb will be useless, also the girls will be less likely to comb their h

The girls may not be able to comb their hair as frequently if its braids! But then they would be also less likely to catch the nits due to hair type.

Thanks for all your comments.lots to think about. I know my y1s (my present f2s) are competatiive and honest. They wiill badger parents and tell me if they havent combed. I know it wont eliminate the lice but at least if we're all (most) doing it at the same time more frequently it might reduce the population for a short while. Im also hoping it will alleviate the idea that school doesnt care and shift the blame to those who dont treat their children.

Bad idea.

Read this about the life cycle of the louse. One week in isolation won't clear a population.

Do it properly (louse month) or don't do it at all.

I know its not going to solve the problem completely but unfortunately cant afford a whole month every term. Im hoping these weeks will raise awareness, help form good habbits and reduce num ers a littl. Also reassure some parents and create a little peer group pressure healthy competition between parents.

Maybe we could integrate nits into lessons: maths - nit counting, pe - nit races or even nit riding some are big enough , science - life cycle of a nit, art - nit life drawing

I have seen a science display in school featuring nits and lice!

Awareness raising fine.

But don't foster the expectation that a one week event will make any real difference; for you risk, when that is demonstrated to be false (by the natural progression of the life-cycle), losing support and, if you're unlucky, making it worse with parents concluding that nothing makes any difference.

Oh we are a negative lot. Surely it will help! Bettee than no action!

I would love it if dd's school did this.

She has had nits more times than I can possibly remember (reception). I comb her hair at least twice a week now - sometimes every night. It is astonishing how often I find one live nit, but no eggs. So I would say yes! You can always give a note at the end of the week telling people how to keep on the case.

Lol - a great idea. When my daughter was at school one of her teachers had a blitz, which culminated in the class being declared a nit-free zone and all the kids going around in shower caps!

Our HT checks every child's head at least half termly and if there is an outbreak (parents notify the school) a couple of times in the space of a fortnight. Parents get a letter giving them notice of the impending check (and the option to opt out) which I'm sure means parents check even more thoroughly but as a result we don't seem to have much trouble with lice. Dd hasn't had them for at least eighteen months.

Dd is just finishing yr 1 and hasn't had nits yet, sounds miserable at your schools.

I don't think I would want to comb every night, maybe a couple of tones a week for a month would be more effective.

when a kid at our school gets nits, the children all come home with bright orange NIT ALERT flyers in their book bags. Something must work, as we don't get the flyers very often, and DCs haven't got them ever (touch wood). small school though, so probably easier to deal with.

Good idea doing it at the beginning of term because hopefully anyone with nits will get treated and prevent the cycle from starting in the classroom. It might be worth sending a reminder letter every few weeks just to keep up the combing. Think all schools should have a nit awareness week.