DD's Lice. Treating Her & and House Plus Notifying Families

[DaisyMamma]

I've already treated her and I. She had A LOT of nits come out. I just checked her again and see plenty more nits. I plan on treating her again in the AM.
1. How often can I treat?
2. What else can I do?

It's late but we managed to strip beds of pillows, animals, sheets, blankets, etc. Sprayed mattresses. I will strip them again in the AM and more throughly Vaccum.
3. Should I empty closets and dressers of all clean clothing and rewash it?

I called all families this evening and informed them. I want to send out an email tomorrow letting them know that everyone will be checked upon arrival each day for several weeks until lice are fully gone. I want to include some links or a PDF flier with info.
4. Does anyone have a lice letter I can borrow?
5. Do you have any web sites or informational fliers that you use about lice?
6. When lice is in your daycare do you use a nit comb to check the kids? If so, what do you use to disinfect it between each child?

Thank you for the help and support. I'm very upset and feel horrible that I didn't catch it sooner on DD. She must have had it for a while to have so many

[itlw8]

If you used a commercial treatment follow the directions you can not treat again too often. Go to Walgreens and get the ryobi lice comb it works on a battery and zaps them do it daily for a few weeks.

Get the spray for furniture and your car and car seats. Do not forget your coats. I would take sheets and cover your furniture after spraying then you can just wash it until you know your have them all.

I never could get all the nit out with those lice combs you may have to pick them out with your fingernails just slide them down the hair shaft. you can sanitize with rubbing alcohol but really send them home if they have nits and tell the parents to go get the ryobi lice comb and zap those ****ers dead.

[Crazy8]

the store bought treatments do not get rid of nits!! They need to be removed by hand. I would not treat her again. There are some natural remedies - like olive oil, etc. but no matter what nits need to be removed manually. Its a tedious job but if you don't get them out they can hatch days later and lay a bunch more eggs and you are starting all over again. I hate lice!!!!!!!!

[DaisyMamma]

Thanks ladies!

[Soccermom]

The nits need to be removed one by one. The shampoo alone won't get rid of them. I would also get the spray for the couches and carpets.
I don't think you need to wash the clean clothes in the closets though.
I would however shut down for a few days in order to keep the lice in check. If a DCK gets it from your DD and comes to your home with it, you will have to start this whole process over again. (I am assuming you do daycare from your home when I say this)

I would just write an email stating -

`Dear Parents,

I regret to inform you that we have discovered a case of lice. In order to prevent an outbreak I will closing my daycare for 2 days in order to thoroughly clean and disinfect my home. I ask that all parents check their children and contact me if you should find lice or nits in your child's hair. I will also be performing checks daily upon arrival for the next 2 weeks. Any child found to have lice will need to be picked up immediately. Thank you for your co-operation and I apologize for the inconvenience.

Signed,
DP

Hope this helps

[Angelsj]

Oil will suffocate and get rid of lice. Any base oil (olive oil, baby oil, whatever.)
Drop in a few drops of tea tree oil if you have it handy. Work into hair, let stand an hour or so, then wash out. (This will take three or four washings to accomplish, so be prepared)

On the final rinse, douse the hair in vinegar. Be careful as this will hurt the eyes or mucous membranes. You don't want to have her sitting in it and miss her eyes and nose, but cover the hair with quite a bit and work it through.
Vinegar breaks down the glue that keeps the eggs attached to the hair. You will need a very fine METAL nit comb. Use the smallest you can find. I have even used a metal flea comb.
Start with a small (about one inch) piece of hair, and work scalp to ends combing and checking. If you dd has long hair this part could take 2-3 hours, but do it well, use a good bright light, and look carefully. Keep the clean part clipped away from the not done parts.

If you do this well the first time, you will not have to do it again. On rare occasions, I have had to do this twice, but never more than that. Beneficial because once they are gone and you clean the house, you are good to go. BTW, don't forget about the car, and her outerwear (coats, hats, etc) Good luck!!

[itlw8]

now I would not close They happen no big deal. There are many products that replel them I would suggest the parents use one for their children if they do not have them.

Walgreens had shampoo rinse, spray they smell like pine tree so I bet it is tea tree oil in them. And really that ryobi comb is wonderful if you hear a zap you found one.

As far as checking the schools use a toothpick to move the hair. Check about 1 inch from the scalp and around the ears and nape of neck. Those are the areas you aftn find clusters.

I had a dcg that used to get them dcm blamed me and left. Well mom was bringing them home from the school she taught at likely on her coat.

[countrymom]

all I can offer you is big hugs.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Chemical treatments should only be done at the most on a child twice a year. There are natural treatments that are mostly oil that can be used more often. I was battling the little buggers from May until September when Mom finally pulled dc. No one but DCG had them or got them.

Tips- use a good conditioner (or olive oil) on dd's head straight let it sit and then comb through with nit comb and pick out nits. If there are any live bugs it will slow them down so you get them. Do this daily for the next 3 weeks.
- put all combs brushes etc in alcohol. If you do kidlets hair keep their combs seperate and for the next few weeks alcohol daily. I do all kidlets combs weekly now.
-vaccum, vaccum, vaccum
-check kids for 3 weeks! Cycle is two but if you had a stray etc. Trust me they come back, and come back....
-wash daycare linen daily. this is a pain but, I didn't spread any!
- if you have any dress up clothes, stuffed animals, dolls etc be sure to treat them (hot dryer for an hour) and put them away for the next 3 weeks to a month to kill off anything!
-clean clothes in dresser I would throw in hot dryer for an hour. Just to be sure!
-it is hat season and coat season. I would probably be tossing them in my dryer daily! And be sure they are seperated from each other!
I feel for you because like I said, I had a summer of this every 2 weeks I sent that kidlet home...
The more vigilent you are the better off.

[DaisyMamma]

Thanks
I did chemicals only once. Now I'm using a lice repel shampoo and combing through her hair for nits twice a day.
I will be following your other advice
Thank you.

Chemical treatments should only be done at the most on a child twice a year. There are natural treatments that are mostly oil that can be used more often. I was battling the little buggers from May until September when Mom finally pulled dc. No one but DCG had them or got them.

Tips- use a good conditioner (or olive oil) on dd's head straight let it sit and then comb through with nit comb and pick out nits. If there are any live bugs it will slow them down so you get them. Do this daily for the next 3 weeks.
- put all combs brushes etc in alcohol. If you do kidlets hair keep their combs seperate and for the next few weeks alcohol daily. I do all kidlets combs weekly now.
-vaccum, vaccum, vaccum
-check kids for 3 weeks! Cycle is two but if you had a stray etc. Trust me they come back, and come back....
-wash daycare linen daily. this is a pain but, I didn't spread any!
- if you have any dress up clothes, stuffed animals, dolls etc be sure to treat them (hot dryer for an hour) and put them away for the next 3 weeks to a month to kill off anything!
-clean clothes in dresser I would throw in hot dryer for an hour. Just to be sure!
-it is hat season and coat season. I would probably be tossing them in my dryer daily! And be sure they are seperated from each other!
I feel for you because like I said, I had a summer of this every 2 weeks I sent that kidlet home...
The more vigilent you are the better off.