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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

DS1 starts school on Monday - give it to me straight, how bad are nits?

19 replies

cancantcan · 04/09/2009 20:44

I dont know quite how I've managed this, but I never had nits as a child, neither did my 2 sisters, my elder sisters kids have never had them either - How common are they? I mean I've heard people say its inevitable that he will get them at some point while at school, and I'm really having nightmares about this! I'm afraid the thought of little bugs in his hair is freaking me out in a way I've never experienced before.
Please all give your experiences of nits, are they really common? hard to get rid of?

OP posts:

MagNacarta · 04/09/2009 20:47

When dd1 went to school we'd never had nits and I used to say that I thought that she was just one of those children who didn't get them. Then she got them in year1 - I'd been dreading it and thought I'd retch at the sight of them. Now, sadly I'm so used to them I'm really not bothered.

You probably will get them too, it's horrible, but just one of those things

LauraIngallsWilder · 04/09/2009 20:50

They are a pain, a continual pain if other children in your kids class have got them

Some children however just dont get them - for some odd inexplicable reason!

Thus mine have never (as yet) had them

Fennel · 04/09/2009 20:51

Have pity on those of us with 3 girls. each with thick hair which they like to have loose, they are nit magnets. It's the only time I wish I had boys, at least you can cut the hair short to deal with the little buggers.

It doesn't freak me out but it's such a waste of time, dealing with them.

vinblanc · 04/09/2009 20:52

The problem with nits arises because parents don't comb their children's hair.

All you can do is at least weekly combing with a good nitcomb (eg nitty gritty). If you do that, anything they do get is dispatched before it can can lay a lot of eggs and any hatchlings are removed before they can lay eggs.

Comb whether you need to or not. Don't be fobbed off by a few clear weeks. It is the lack of combing that least to an infestation.

Lice are endemic in primary schools in this country. Take the problem seriously, but don't be freaked out by them. Think of them as weeds in your garden - a natural state of affairs, but something not to be ignored.

pinkteddy · 04/09/2009 20:52

Hi cancant, I felt the same - I too hadn't had them as a child and felt ill at the thought of dd getting them. She has just gone into year 1 and has had them twice since starting school but I am pretty sure that neither time she got them from school, I think she got them from her cousins!

First time she got them, it was horrible, I was screaming as I got them too but its honestly not that bad. Please don't fret about something you cant control. They are not hard to get rid of once you get the knack of it. Get your DH/DP on board, mine is brilliant at the combing and we do once every couple of weeks as a preventative. The 2nd time she got them they were much easier to get rid of as we spotted them early. Please enjoy your ds's time at school and don't let this spoil it.

Original poster

cancantcan · 04/09/2009 20:53

Righto, my DD is wearing her hair up from now on then! Actually, a friend of mine brought her 2 kids round to play the other day, half way through she informs me that the elder child has nits at the moment, but she hasnt had chance to get to chemist to get the stuff. I didnt know whether to pass out or puke. But despite playing for over 2 hours together, neither of mine has got them, and I have checked thoroughly several times. Guess I've been lucky so far!

OP posts:

StewieGriffinsMom · 04/09/2009 20:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

cancantcan · 04/09/2009 20:57

Also, something else I forgot to ask - do I need to get some sort of wash as well as the comb? if he does get them, do I need to do anything to his pillow afterwards? what about if DD gets them, can the eggs live on hair bobbles and ribbons? Urk, I'm gipping just thinking about this! Crap I need to toughen up!

OP posts:

pinkteddy · 04/09/2009 21:02

They can't live outside of the hair for very long so they can't live on bobbles and ribbons. If you use hedrin over night, I think you might find some dead ones on the pillow (urgh) in the morning tho we never have. Hedrin has worked for us but we have always combed too. Also don't rely on just looking at the hair to check if you have them after you have been in contact with nits, I have never 'seen' them in dd's hair, only discovered through combing.

vinblanc · 04/09/2009 21:05

You need to get yourself educated on the life cycle of lice. There are loads of websites.

You don't need any chemical treatments. One of the most effective is to use conditioner and comb through then. The lice can't move well in conditioner so it is easier to catch them.

Theoretically, you don't need to wash bedding as the lice don't survive off the head for very long. You may decide that it is easy enough to slip on a new pillow case, though.

There should be no problem with bobbles. Children shouldn't share these, though. Or brushes, or hats.

Tie back long hair and discourage head-to-head touching.

vinblanc · 04/09/2009 21:07

Another tip - when you check the children, check yourself and DH too.

CHOCOLATEPEANUT · 04/09/2009 21:13

worms are worse......

i almost had to go into rehab when those little monsters turned up...

deaddei · 04/09/2009 21:56

I never had them as a child, and felt smug as we didn't get them until dd wasin yr 6.
Then we all got them.
The night I found one in my own hair I was hysterical, but tbh, it is quite satisfying finding them and exterminating the bastards,
Hedrin and combing worked for us.
Now worms.....ds had them once, and when I saw them wriggling in his poo, I realised that was my lowest point of motherhood.
Still, raspberry flavoured sachets from the chemist got rid of those.
What about impetigo, ringworm,scabies.....

CHOCOLATEPEANUT · 04/09/2009 21:59

when dd got worms my son was only weeks old and i was told to 'check the nappies'

it was my lowest moment but thank god he was ok

they really are the most awful things and the first time i saw one i screamed )was so sorry for it as i scared my dd )

Original poster

cancantcan · 06/09/2009 11:47

OK, Now someone has recommended an electronic flea comb for getting rid of the horrible little things?
Anyone tried one? are they better than the plastic ones?

OP posts:

mrz · 06/09/2009 12:07

www.npc.co.uk/prescribers/resources/fact_sheet_lice.pdf

ilovesprouts · 06/09/2009 12:16

i have an electric nit comb ,but no good for dd hair now as her hairs too thick ,

Pyrocanthus · 06/09/2009 13:16

It seems to be a matter of sheer dumb luck. Both my DDs had nits at nursery, but have never picked them up at school - elder girl has just left primary.

Cue major outbreak next week...

kid · 06/09/2009 22:13

My DD is going into Year 6 and so far we have been lucky because she has never had them. DS hasn't had them either. I have no idea how or why but of course I am not complaining.

I had them as a child and they never really bothered me, I bet they bothered my mum though who had to get rid of them

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