HELP! DD8 exposed to LICE, what do I do??

[LuvSW]

DD8 was at a birthday party this morning. The Birthday Mom just called to let me know that she's found a few lice eggs in her daughter's hair after the party and thought I should treat my daughter as preventative.

They didn't share hats, combs, etc. Mostly an outdoor, active party. Exposure should have been minimal. I'm a little reluctant to treat with strong chemicals UNLESS/UNTIL I see a problem.

Any advice??

Thank you.

 

[jhshmh]

Anyone have information on this?

How is Jet Blue handling this?


Thanks so much in advance.

 

[fakereadhed]

You need to check for nits daily. Google them to see what you are looking for and be thorough. There is no need to expose your kid to chemicals and increase the likelihood of a resistant strain just because she was exposed. Good luck! Hope you don't find anything!!!

 

[CathrynRose]

Lice arent able to latch on to product'ed hair very easily....you could hair spray the heck out of her... ESPECIALLY the nape of her neck area (most likely area)

I went to beauty school.

 

[Michelle67]

I wouldn't do anything as a preventative, but I'm pretty opposed to chemicals in general anyhow. Sounds like you aren't wild about them either. If you find lice or nits and need to treat, you might want to consider looking into Uncle Harry's Natural Products. They have an all natural "Lice Away Mix." We had a little girl in our old neighborhood that kept passing lice around the 'hood and the school (poor kid, not her fault her mother is an idiot) and my 18 month old ended up with them (along with my ten year old daughter with VERY thick dense hair...what a nightmare). I was way too scared to use harsh chemicals on her, and found the Uncle Harry's stuff at the local health food store. I treated with Neem Oil first (which REEKS but works) then used the lice away mix at a rate of about 20 drops to a small spray bottle of water. It works well at drying out the remaining nits and repelling lice, and the good news is that it has a pleasant herbal smell instead of a horrible chemical smell.

 

[Katlyn]

DD8 was at a birthday party this morning. The Birthday Mom just called to let me know that she's found a few lice eggs in her daughter's hair after the party and thought I should treat my daughter as preventative.

They didn't share hats, combs, etc. Mostly an outdoor, active party. Exposure should have been minimal. I'm a little reluctant to treat with strong chemicals UNLESS/UNTIL I see a problem.

Any advice??

Thank you.

Don't treat her unless lice are present, this is what we were told by the Health Dept. My Granddaughter had them last month, she was treated but I never treated myself, just washed everything she had been around. Didn't keep my head from itching though A friend of mine that works at the school told me that they recommend putting oil ( like baby oil )on hair for 10 hours and then rinse good with Dawn Dish detergent. After that comb with a fine tooth comb.Of course she and the health dept told us after we had already treated our girl. We will try that next time, if there is one.

 

[TwinmomPlusOne]

Some moms on another board swear by the comb that "zaps" lice. I think you can get it at Walgreens, CVS, type places. I don't see the harm in that as a preventative, but wouldn't do chemicals (like pp's said) until you see actual nits. Hope the link works, otherwise, Walgreens has this brand, Robi Comb electronic lice comb.

http://www.walgreens.com/store/prod...n=jump&navCount=0&skuid=sku309618&id=prod9618

Good luck, hope she doesn't get them!

 

[LuvSW]

Thank you, thank you. At least it sounds like I don't have to treat immediately. I can sleep a little better. My daughter has very long, very thick, very curly hair that is IMPOSSIBLE to comb, and I think we'd have to cut a lot of it if she does come down with lice.

YUCK. My fingers are crossed.

 

[Michelle67]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. I feel for you on the hair. My oldest daughter's hair is so thick and the shafts are so packed together, it was a nightmare when she got them. Advertising for UH's again, though, that stuff dried the eggs out totally, so I didn't have to worry about getting every little nit out of her hair. I just kept spraying it on diluted for about a week, and we had no problems at all.

And yes, I'm sitting here scratching my head just reading this. Hahahaha

 

[powellrj]

I have always heard to use Tea Tree, but I have never tried it. What I have used is to cover her head in mayo and then a shower cap for about 30mins. Then I wash her hair and spray it with hair spray for a couple of weeks.

She has been exposed a couple of time and never had it, but I can't say its because of anything I did or because she didn't get that close!

 

[debm]

I definitely agree with not using the chemicals. See if you can find a friend that uses Melaleuca products. They have an herbal Melaleuca oil (tea tree) shampoo that would be great for you to use. We use just a regular salon clarifying shampoo from Melaleuca normally but I keep a bottle of their herbal stuff and the kids wash their hair with it about once a month. Just a preventative for us.
I honestly didn't worry when it went around school this year. I have read so much about their shampoo repelling lice that I'm convinced! I know it is an icky feeling to think about it. Good luck!

 

[iheartdisney]

A few summers ago, my sister and her son got lice when the boy across the street go them. And that was just from playing also.No one else at our house got them. only 2 out of 7 people, go figure!
But my sister used the chemcal, and it didn't work. She used mayonaise, and it killed them all. she used Miracle Whip for the rest of the summer though!
So just know that there are alternatives other than chemicals, and they are cheaper and work better!

 

[marypoppinswannabe]

I have heard that both vinegar and mayo work, if she actually gets them. I had lice one time... YUCK!!!! after trying on clothes in a department store. Now before I go, I pull my hair back in a ponytail use TONS of hairspray before I try on clothes.

I have heard (but don't know for sure) that it takes approximately 7-10 days for the life cycle of the lice. So, I would just be really diligent for the next 10 days and comb her hair every night and look through it very carefully.


Ok, this is making my head itch just talking about this.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

If you want to be preventative but non-toxic you can put vaseline in her hair overnight with a showercap over it to cover it. Any nits, lice will die from suffication. But be aware getting the vaseline out takes a few days... First you put babyoil in her hair then wash with Dawn or your choice of dish soap. Then wash again with shampoo. It takes a few washing to completely get the vaseline out. In the meantime the vaseline will also condition her hair....

Good Luck with your decision..


Oh by the way, never let your DH put all the cute little hats on you DD while in the mall..... Sad, sad story from my way distant past.

 

[mrs.beast]

We use fairytales shampoo and other products. I teach K and we have had a horrible time with lice this year (all year ) we have the same kids getting it over and over again (one kid 6 time since Jan) because they are not treating the environment well enough. I even got it from this little girl. She had fallen on the playground and I carried her to the office with her head on my shoulder, i know not so smart, but it really helped her feel better. a few days later i had lice. I started to use the shampoo and have not gotten it again, even though I still let the kids hug me. so personally it has worked for me. the teacher next door got lice also, started using the shampoo, and has not gotten it again either. (her class has lice just as bad as mine because the kids all go to afterschool care together) good luck. if you do get it, don't forget to treat your car, all hats, bedding, stuffed animals, couch etc because that is how reinfestations occur.
http://www.fairytaleshaircare.com/

 

[Michelle67]

Thanks for that link! The stuff I use works great, but takes a little effort mixing up. I'll have to order some of that!

 

[Green Tea]

We have gotten letters before that a child in a classroom had them, but my children, thankfully, never got them. I hope you don't have to worry. I would just keep checking carefully and do what you need to if she gets them.

 

[unbroken chain]

I second tee tree oil. You can buy the oil and add it to any shampoo, or just buy "tea tree oil shampoo." Paul Mitchell makes one. About $15 for a 16.9 oz. bottle, available at pretty much any chain haircut type of place.

I used this on my daughter because I also did not want to cover her head with chemicals and it absolutely works. It repels live lice. Doesn't work on the eggs, which have a 10 day cycle, so to be safe use it every day for 2 weeks. She had 2 on her head and could feel them move all around when she used the shampoo (gross, I know). After that one use, no more lice for her, but she kept using it for 2 weeks. Everyone in the house should probably use it to be safe.

The thing about mayonaise is that it can be hard to get out later. Petroleum jelly works too but that's very hard to get out later.

 

[pixiedust1949]

I work for a program that services 3-4 yr olds from low income families and lice is a constant problem. (that said, remember ANYONE can get head lice) We have been to many trainings and OLIVE OIL is the prefered sustance for treatment. First you must remove all live crawlies and eggs. (dispose in tissue down toilet) Next apply oil and shower cap to cover head and leave on all night. Shampoo as normal and continue to check for eggs for at least 10 days. The oil can be applied as often as needed. The other crucial componet is the environment. EVERYTHING that comes in contact with the head must be cleaned. Wash all bedding, hats, hooded jackets, etc. in hottest water appropriate and dry in dryer (heat kills). Vaccuum all surfaces that can not be washed. Stuffed animals or anything else that can not be laundered must be bagged for 2 weeks. Don't forget to check other members of your household. My entire famiily of 5 had them 20 years ago when youngest dd brought them home (she also had long, thick hair and went undiagnosed for weeks until lice exploded on all!!) Good luck, if you do have them it will take a lot of work to rid your home and all inhabitants.

 

[LuvSW]

This is probably a stupid question, but I've not had the Lice issue before. Other than seeing the adults and/or eggs, what are the symptoms? Is it the Adults that cause itching?

Is it the eggs that fall off on the bedding (or hat, etc.), then hatch, that's a problem?

Or is it the adults fall out of the head onto the bedding or hat, then climb on the next victim?

I've read the health dept and CDC info; they almost make it sound like the lice can't jump from one person to another, so if there was no physical contact with the head, it's unlikely that she caught it. They didn't share clothes, or hats, or even sit on a sofa together. Am I being optimistic?

Thanks for all the great advice.