HELP - Head Lice

[disneychrista]

The only thing you can truely count on is your deligence. Check there head every day and stop it in its tracks.

I dealt with this for what seems like forever. I would just think that I had gotten through it and it started all over again. Make sure your kids know not to share hair brushes with anyone. Try to keep long hair pulled back. Do not share hats and "dress up" clothes should also be off limits. Good Luck.

 

[tink2]

Just writing to say I'm so sorry. We went through this last spring. Good luck and keep the checking up!!! Check everyone in the house every night. It is a nightmare but if you keep it up maybe you will be rid of it for good. Good luck!!!

 

[czycropper]

I'm going through the same thing. My DD has very thick curly hair. One thing that hasn't been mentioned that I've found out through some extensive research is that lice will only survive in humans and will die in non-humans in 24 hours and that it's better to vaccumm than to use the sprays. I've had my DH doing all the vaccumming in the house & the car

 

[marcyinPA]

I haven't read all the posts, but don't forget to do your car! It's often forgotten!

I feel for you...our school has also had an outbreak over the past several weeks. The problem for us is that our district does not have a "no nit" policy. Initially, the child is sent home for treatment. If they return after treatment and nits are still found, they are not sent home. It is totally ridiculous!!

Fortunately, my boys have been spared...but my best friend's son got it (he goes to school with my kids) and several of the kids in his class had it. My friend was FREAKING out! She's a hair stylist, so she knows all about this stuff. She actually spoke to someone at the supply house she works at part time, and they recommended Tea Tree shampoo. Supposedly, lice hate the smell and won't attach to hair that has been washed with it.

Hope you get it under control soon!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Our school does have a "no nit" policy so hopefully it helps. My biggest concern though is that I don't think some of the mothers will be as diligent about all the other work that goes with this. I've known some of them for a few years and that's what I'm basing this on. My six year old has long thick curly hair and it's been a nightmare fine tooth combing that head! I've been making both girls wear their hair in buns (which I now spray hairspray on) and have warned them completely about sharing anything remotely connected with their heads with anyone. Ds didn't even have any but I made sure to tell him to put his arms under his head at rest time (mats) just in case.

This has just been a nightmare. I'm still washing and fine tooth combing their hair (with special metal lice comb) every night. I really hope we escaped any my contamination but you never know. I'm so glad to know I'm not alone in this. THanks for all your help.

 

[czycropper]

Does anyone know where I can find the Tea Tree shampoo? My DD is home from school today because of sore throat and I again combed her hair with the Nit Comb and I'm about to do it to my 5 year old since it looks like she has a couple as well - another day of washing the sheets & towels & vaccumming everything is sight

 

[marcyinPA]

You should be able to get it in a salon. My best friend works in a supply house for salons (only licensed stylists can shop there) and they sell it in the supply house. She picked up a bottle for me there. I don't have it in my possession yet, but when I do, I'll post the brand name for you.

Marcy

 

[malibuconlee]

I didn't read the whole thread, but sounds like you have a good start. Don't forget to boil all hairbrushes.

Don't feel bad, my little sister brought home lice more from going to school where the "rich" kids in town went than she did when she went to a poorer school.

 

[disneychrista]

Any natural foods stores should carry the tea tree shampoo.

 

[MKCP5]

Paul Mitchell Tea Tree shampoo. Should be sold in any salon where Paul Mitchell is. We have a hold on it right now, but am still checking daily, and doing a full head soak in coconut oil every third night with saran wrap wrapped around the head, then off to bed. The cocnut oil suffocates them if there any live ones there, and helps to get rid of the nits you pull off. The bonus is no chemicals and it smells great, and her hair is beautifully conditioned!

 

[marcyinPA]

My friend got me the RUSK Sensories Purify Curcurbita & Tea Tree Oil Deep Cleansing Shampoo. You should be able to find this in any salon that sells RUSK products.

Here's hoping it works...it's rather pricey!

Marcy

 

[KerriMc]

Wow ... I am so glad we haven't been the only ones going through this awful process!!! The past week has been absolutely horrible. All of the washing, picking, cleaning, and vacuuming .... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! We had used a solution on the Monday (a week ago), but I kept finding tons of live ones (the mother hens ... mine is the kiddo afraid of bugs ). I picked and picked for days and couldn't figure out why they weren't dying from the darn solution. I did the conditioner, the vinegar and water and still find them. Finally I called a different pharmacy in town where they make up their own solution, as the lice is becoming resistent to many of the different types of solutions we use on their heads (pesticides I might add!). This solution worked wonders!! You rub it in to their scalp and leave it for 12 hours (it dries ... it has an alcohol base I believe) and when she woke up in the morning there were about 15 dead lice on her pillow (YUCK!!!!!! ). Now I've just kept picking and am finding an occasional nit, but they are further down the scalp, which means they are dead. They are also coming off too easily to be still viable.

So I think we have finally got this beat (for the time being) ... all it takes now is for her to run into the same kid at school, or gymnastics, or babysitters, that passed this on to begin with. My youngest dd has not contracted it, so it leads me to believe it is school or gymnastics. We are now using tea tree spritzer on their hair every morning and just praying that it stays AWAY!!!! I have never had such an itchy head in all of my life ... I teach kdgn and have never caught it, but when it was my own kiddo .... oh man!!!! I was never good at detecting students with it, but now I sure know what to look for ... !

Good luck to those still battling it ... I dont' know if I can every let my guard down now!!

Kerri

 

[MKCP5]

itch itch scratch scratch I am scratching every time I think about it! I am prayerful we are in the home stretch too. Still cleaning, and doing a full head wrap every three days, please be gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tessqt]

I haven't had the "pleasure" NOT of lice, but the 1st grade in my kids school was being looked at by our nurse yesterday. I saw and said to the Principal oh no, and she shook her head yes!!!

Don't delete this post, may need advice!!!!

 

[czycropper]

KerriMc - I'm going on the 7th day and I still found nits in my DDs hair. I'm about to have a nervous breakdown if they aren't allowed back to school today. Please everyone keep those for me!

I've used RID, LiceFree, Tea Tree Shampoo and even olive oil and hairspray. I'm so tired of picking at their hair twice a day it isn't funny.

Hope that everyone has been successful! Any other ideas.

 

[MKCP5]

We have soaked her head in coconut oil every night and wrapped it in saran wrap, and then she sleeps in it. If there is anything alive in there, it will kill it!
I think some of the nits can be dead but still attached. You want to keep doing it of course until you can't find any, to be sure, but finding one doesn't mean complete reinfestation. 2-3 weeks minimum of coombing and checking is necessary though. It is brutal, but it will end!!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We're at our two week mark today and so far so good. We used the Nix application twice (first day and one week later), washing the girls hair every night with extra conditioner, using metal lice and nit comb (so far no nits) and still vaccuming furniture and beds every day and washing pillow cases in sheets in hot water every day also. Still washing towels in hot water after one use. Im putting the girls hair in braids or buns each day and when they are at school I use hair spray on their hair.

I hope we are truly done. I don't every want to go through this again.

The stuffed animals that are bagged in the garage have reached the 14 day mark - however I'm so paranoid I think I'll leave them out there another week or two. Good luck to everyone!

 

[czycropper]

Well they found ONE nit on my eldest DD hair and she's back home. I'm really about to have a breakdown. I have washed the sheets, towels, pajamas & anything they wear every day. I have picked through their hair for hours on end and still one was found. I have vacummed everything everyday & sprayed with either Lysol or the RID spray.

At least my youngest seems to be fine but I'm still going to continue treating her hair. I have actually found out who brought it into my eldest DD class and I'm really about to go knock on the door and YELL!!!! The crappy thing is that it was her son and she was able to just cut his hair but still didn't think about calling the school and letting them know until he was questioned and he said that he had been treated. The bad part is that he sits next to my DD and his youngest sister is in my youngest DD grade & they sit next to each other as well.

 

[disneychrista]

Just keep at it. At this point if all you are find is nits (no live bugs) I would stop the treatments and concentrate on "nit picking." While i have been there and gone through this aggrevation, more then once UGH!, it is the only thing you can do. If it happens to be sunny where you are (it is pouring here) then go outside to nit pick. The nits are much easier to see in the sun.

 

[pettyone]

My DD4 got lice while staying at a playmate's house. I treated her & thought all was well. UNFORTUNATELY, I have a mass of long, curly brown hair & I have been battling these since the beginning of October.

DD's doctor advised against using any pesticides on her & advised us to use the "olive oil" method. So, we greased DD's head, put a bag over her head & put her to bed. Then we combed her out & "nit picked". She's been fine ever since.

My experience has been that the "big momma" female louse can absolutely live through the olive oil experience, so it's not 100% guaranteed that all live lice will die from the suffocation of the olive oil. It does work amazingly well, though! I now have been advised by my doctor (who is also anti-pesticide) to get a Robi-comb. It works great too...it's a bug-zapper comb for lice.

Our plan of attack is to "olive oil" twice a week & use the Robi-comb daily for the next month...

Ho-hum...this too shall pass!