Nasty little critters

[NoMoreJuice!]

So it finally happened...we have lice. On Friday a frantic dcm texted me and asked if I would check her SA daughter's hair before they went to school. I did (in the driveway) and confirmed that she had adult lice and eggs. I sent her straight to Walgreens (and excluded the 2yo dcb for the day). I checked every single child as they walked in the door, washing hands in between. Looked like we were all clear. I let every dcp that picked up know that their kids had been exposed, and please treat and triple check all weekend. Over the weekend, three more cases popped up and I was in constant contact with all families. One of my moms is a nurse, so she offered to come early today and check every head, an offer I gladly accepted!

So this morning she found three more cases that were immediately sent home: one with adult lice, one with eggs, and one that was very iffy(to me) but she claimed that he did have eggs. The mom of the iffy kid is M-A-D. She said she treated him twice over the weekend, but my nurse/mom says the over the counter treatments aren't enough, and that only vinegar is proven to kill the eggs (which you still have to comb out individually).

Any advice on this? Did I handle it badly? I am just trying to protect everyone from making this a month-long ordeal. Suggestions pretty please?

[Meyou]

Regardless of the number of treatments I exclude if I find even one egg. Vinegar does loosen glue which binds eggs to the hair but there is nothing I've heard of that kills the eggs including the treatments. The only effective way to get rid of lice IMO is daily combing with a nit comb for at least a week, preferably 2 along with heavy cleaning and daily checks at the door.

[Cat Herder]

www.headlicecenter.com will have more info than you will ever want to know.

[MotherNature]

Coconut oil works great at smothering them too. My teen son has a friend that doesn't have great hygiene. He infected us all, including my then 6 month old son. Rub it in & put a plasticbag on for hours. Rinse out & comb though. do again in 5 days.

[debbiedoeszip]

So it finally happened...we have lice. On Friday a frantic dcm texted me and asked if I would check her SA daughter's hair before they went to school. I did (in the driveway) and confirmed that she had adult lice and eggs. I sent her straight to Walgreens (and excluded the 2yo dcb for the day). I checked every single child as they walked in the door, washing hands in between. Looked like we were all clear. I let every dcp that picked up know that their kids had been exposed, and please treat and triple check all weekend. Over the weekend, three more cases popped up and I was in constant contact with all families. One of my moms is a nurse, so she offered to come early today and check every head, an offer I gladly accepted!

So this morning she found three more cases that were immediately sent home: one with adult lice, one with eggs, and one that was very iffy(to me) but she claimed that he did have eggs. The mom of the iffy kid is M-A-D. She said she treated him twice over the weekend, but my nurse/mom says the over the counter treatments aren't enough, and that only vinegar is proven to kill the eggs (which you still have to comb out individually).

Any advice on this? Did I handle it badly? I am just trying to protect everyone from making this a month-long ordeal. Suggestions pretty please?

We had lice come through our home once every school year. At one point I visited our local Health Unit to get some information. I was told that treating with chemicals is a last resort (it can be harmful to human health if overused) and definitely not to be used as a "maybe they have lice, lets treat to make sure". That the chemicals only kill some of the nits, and that is why every last nit must be manually removed. And that while lice are "yucky" they aren't generally considered a health hazard (though scratching can lead to sores which can then lead to bacterial infections).

[hope]

Last year my DD'S school had a bad lice problem and I was terrified that she would bring it home and onto the dcks. I could only imagine the debate with each parent. So I made a tea tree oil mix in a spray bottle and sprayed every child and their coats n bedding in it. I read that it can help in prevention. Don't think it does anything for treatment. I would start doing that as soon as kids come back. Sorry I can't help with treatment.

[BumbleBee]

My teen son has a friend that doesn't have great hygiene. He infected us all, including my then 6 month old son.

Hygiene actually has nothing to do with lice. Lice feed off of blood, not dirt. This is a common misconception.

[jenboo]

Hygiene actually has nothing to do with lice. Lice feed off of blood, not dirt. This is a common misconception.

I have heard many times that they prefer clean heads because it's easier to move on..
Not sure how accurate this is.

[Childminder]

I've heard that the tea tree oil works but knock on wood I haven't had to try it. The only experience I have ever had was in 1962 when I had it and my mother used kerosene and a nit comb to get rid of them. My hair was down past my butt then and I remember that it wasn't fun.

[SilverSabre25]

Sklice!!! Call your doc; it's available by prescription only, kills all life cycles, and is fabulous! My ped called in the script for us last December when DS showed up with lice a week before Christmas. One treatment and that was IT. No one else showed up with it. I cleaned everything. Don't forget car seats! That's a common place to get reinfected from.

Invest in one of the nice lice combs, too, the ones that zap 'em. Seriously.

[MOM OF 4]

AAK I 'm very scared of that. My kids have shampoo that contains tea tree oil and I sprayed Lice Shield. I hope it works!!

[Childminder]

Don't forget car seats! That's a common place to get reinfected from.

Another common place to get lice is from the seats in a theater. Take a paper towel or something with you next time you go.