HELP - Head Lice

[DisneyMomx7]

Well the unthinkable has happened. After years of feeling somewhat smug ( oldest four children survived school without ever contacting head lice) I am being brought down to earth. Yesterday school nurse told me that there are outbreaks of head lice in my kids school and she found 2 nits on dd in 1st grade, 1 nit on 2nd grade dd and none on ds who is in kindergarten. She said the outbreak started in 3rd grade, but that since several 3rd graders have siblings in 1st she started checking them and their siblings. She will be doing the whole school today.

Now since yesterday afternoon I have used Nix on everyone, sprayed every surface imaginable, locked up all stuffed animals and some throw pillows in plastic garbage bags in the garage, washed every sheet, comforter etc. in hot water and have either washed in hot water or sent to the dry cleaners every other piece of clothing they own. I sprayed and vaccumed the beds and couches and vaccumed all the carpet.

Is there anything else I should be doing? Anything else that will help? I'm beside myself (plus I was up till 2 am washing comforters). Please help. I know I shouldn't feel this way but I feel embarrassed even though my house is always clean!

 

[dck12ga]

I am soooo sorry you have to go thru this!! We went thru this last March! If you search on this dis boards, you will find many posts about this! You will find that everyone has their own trick to get rid of them and even the 'experts' can not agree what to do! So good luck and the only thing I can say is comb thru her hair EVERY day for about two weeks. Good luck!

 

[wee-haggis]

Sorry you have to deal with this problem it is definately not pleasant. I would not use the medicated shampoo's again if needed. They are toxic and should be used sparingly. In the future soak your childs head (or your head) in oil (I use any cooking oil) wrap in plastic wrap and leave for 30 to 60 minutes. You can use cotton wool around their face and neck to stop the oil from dripping. Comb thru with a very fine tooth comb, rinse with white vinegar and shampoo. It sounds as though you have done a thorough job with the house.
Good luck!

 

[jlcd]

UGH! I feel for you. We went through this 2 years ago. I found that the metal comb worked better than the plasitc ones. I also had good luck using conditioner instead of the oil as mentioned above. We also did a second application of the medicated shampoo either 1 or 2 weeks later. I can't remember the time frame but it was on the instructions that came with the treatment. Also, from what I read, lice like clean heads the best! That made me feel a little better! Good luck!

 

[carolfoy]

Tea tree essential oil, diluted and combed through the childs hair with a little conditioner, its a guaranteed flea killer, used in India etc

 

[mc'smommy]

you are doing everything right so far, after everyone is cleaned and re-checked I would use eiterh Gel or hairspray in thier hair everyday that they go to school.

Lice ( nits ) cannot grasp onto hair that has a build up of some sort.

I have never had to deal with this but this is what we are told at every school council meeting...

Good luck and my fingers are crossed for you

 

[Mkaz]

Please don't forget your car. If your car has a cloth interior and your children ride in it daily, it could start all over again. I have also heard that if you use Denorex (sp) dandriff shampoo, it will repel lice. I don't know how true it is, but I have heard it from several people.

 

[Susiesnowflake]

I feel so bad for you! My son got them in 2nd grade, and I shudder at the memory. We used Nix too, and my pediatrician recommended keeping it on longer than suggested on the packaging. It sounds like you've been very diligent and thorough in cleaning the bedding, house and toys. My only recommendation is to keep checking and checking for those darn nits and any live lice. They are very hard to get rid of. Also make sure everyone has their own comb/brush and that you keep them separate. Don't forget to clean those too. I also washed towels daily and changed pillow cases daily until I was sure they were gone. Good luck to you! Hang in there!

 

[sorcerermick]

Interesting that you mentioned car upholstery. My wife transported a classmate of my daughters on Friday afternoon in our car and we have since found out she had lice. We've scanned the kids heads last night and all seems ok, but I guess a wash with oil may not hurt. I'd use the medicated shampoo but my wife is pregnant so I'll need to avoid it. Hope we don't get it. I'll have to give the car a good vacuuming too (industrial strength just in case).

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I did spray and vaccum the car upholstery and booster seats. I am rewashing kids head again today and fine combing it. I bought a lice comb with a special gel that's supposed to make it easier, I'm using a magnifying glass etc. I only hope that everyone else is the school is as diligent - I don't want to go through all this and have it happen again!

I just got a call a little while ago from a friend whose daughter is in kindergarten with my son. Now my son didn't have any nits but her daughter and two other girls in kindergarten were sent home with nits. Do you think that it affects girls more than boys?

Thanks for all your support I do feel like I'm going crazy - and the expense. I spent about $100 on Nix shampoos and the spray and about another $100 in drycleaning! The girls uniforms are a navy plaid that I would be afraid to wash in hot water, along with all their jackets, and any dark tops they've worn in the last week - plus my sweatshirts and ds's even though we didn't have any!

 

[don8life]

Boil the combs and brushes.
I feel for you!
The most important thing to make sure is that you get every single little thing in theeir hair out. Miss just one and your reinfested. It is so easy to miss just one.
Go through strands of hair one by one.

Good Luck!

 

[Apothecary]

Many good suggestions presented here so far...can't add much other than to say that lice really really like clean hair. That may be a small bit of consolation (or maybe not!) I'm a pharmacist and I see this all the time. It is nothing to be ashamed of at all. If Nix didn't work, try another type of lice shampoo/creme rinse. I am not sure what exactly is available in the USA (I'm Canadian) but we're seeing some resistance to Nix develop, so trying something different may help. R & C is a popular alternative here. Also any stuffed animals should be tied up in a garbage bag (some say to put it in the freezer...debatable) for 2 weeks. Tea tree oil may help prevent reinfestation, but is of limited usefulness in treating a current problem. As has been stated, constant combing is the key. The complete removal is essential. Rinsing the hair with a 50:50 mix of vinegar and water before combing may loosen up the nits and eggs. A proper comb in also important...the LiceMeister is excellent, but any fine toothed comb is okay. Hope this helps.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Don't forget seatbelts if your car seats are leather. Whenever we have to transport children, we spray our cars regardless of whether or not we know the kids have lice.

 

[twotoohappy]

Just wanted to say, good luck. It's a horrible thing to go through.


To prevent lice - I add 1 tablespoon of olive oil in my dd's bottle of shampoo. Shake the bottle before each use - hair is shiny and not greasy and it's suppose to repel lice - worked so far (knock on wood!)

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Thank you all so much - some great suggestions. Combs and brushes are boiled or thrown away. Stuffed animals are all bagged air tight (not an easy task with so many DIsney stuffed animals) hair has been done, combed with a fine tooth comb, washed again, recombed with fine tooth comb and put into buns. Almost all of washing is complete - sent everything else to dry cleaners. Every surface has been vaccumed and sprayed. I'm exhausted! I only hope the other mothers put as much effort into this as I have and perhaps it will be nipped in the bud. I sure hope so!

 

[minkydog]

I just got a call a little while ago from a friend whose daughter is in kindergarten with my son. Now my son didn't have any nits but her daughter and two other girls in kindergarten were sent home with nits. Do you think that it affects girls more than boys?

I don't think lice are mindful of gender, but little girls are more apt to share hair ties, brushes, hats, etc, than boys are.

 

[KerriMc]

I too am fighting this battle at my house right now!!! I found a whole bunch of "brown things" in the front of her hair ... all in the bangs area and sure enough they were nits. Just creeps me out ... although I know they like clean hair and my daughter is most definitely clean!!

So we have done the treatment and then proceeded to pick out (after two picking sessions yesterday) 28 live ones - some small and some big - and 2 dead ones. We did the vinegar and water thing, and again today as it apparently loosens the nits/eggs ... her hair is very thick and they match her colour perfectly ... plus she is only 4 years old and it is so hard to sit still for that long!!! I feel so badly for her! She is terrified of bugs, so we are searching for "mother hens" that are laying their eggs in her head!!

I never thought I would see it happen, but I suppose the start of school brings along many things and this is one of them. I know how you feel about the cleaning ... I have been washing everything like crazy ... I am working on all of the coats now ... it has forced me to clean out my coat closet though

Good luck ... I'm glad I'm not the only one!!

Kerri

 

[Susiesnowflake]

Just thought of something else I did when my son got them in 2nd grade. Instead of hanging his coat in the cubbie at school next to all the other coats, I had him put his right into his backpack. I was sure their were many parents who weren't as diligent as I in trying to get rid of the lice and nits! I did everything I could to avoid another reinfestation. Those lice and nits were exhausting to deal with! I'm paranoid to this date of ever seeing one again! Yuck!!

 

[massielovesdisney]

Already mentioned car. My kids peditrician has told me that regular mayonaise left on the head for I don't remember how long is a safe non toxic way to treat it. They use this method on very young children when the chemicals in nix are too strong. I would re-spray the house in a few days to be sure they are all dead.

 

[minkydog]

I feel so badly for her! She is terrified of bugs, so we are searching for "mother hens" that are laying their eggs in her head!!

"mother hens" Poor girl