Ugh... lice

[descovy]

Got the dreaded call from school yesterday that DD8 had lice.

She has 2 sisters and they share brushes, hair clips, in fact all that "hair stuff" sits in the same hair box.

We did the RID treatment, she is cleared for school today. I've been changing sheets, washing all that can be washed in hot water. Spraying down furniture, car upholstry. Vacuum and steam clean floors. Comforters, stuffed animals, throw pillows are in black bags in the garage (heat)

Washed all combs, brushes, hair clips. Everyone for the next little while has their own comb/brush/ponytails in a ziploc bag. We're shampooing with "lice repellant shampoo" and washing towels after every shower.

Checking the girls daily...

Here's the thing. I'm freaked out that I am going to get lice!!! I've been the one handling all the "nasty stuff" Plus dd obviously had lice before the school found it. Day before she fell asleep on my side of the bed Everytime I get a little itch I freak. I try checking myself, but I have about 1/2 inch of grey roots, so it's hard to see anything. And worst of all, if I get it, how do I treat it, nit pick it myself? I can't imagine going down to the local salon and asking them to do it for me.

Seriously flippin'!

 

[mickeylove2]

Not fun! I've dealt with head lice too many times to even want to remember...the girls' school pretty much had an epidemic last year. Anyway, the best way I found to do my own head was to get the metal toothed comb and while I'm in the shower after I wash my hair I leave conditioner in it and I go through my head with the comb. I have found that that is the easiest way for me. Good luck!

 

[wgwtgb]

I would treat myself just b/c!! But I'm a germ freak!!! I would find a very dear friend who will understand to help.

 

[dispor]

Got the dreaded call from school yesterday that DD8 had lice.

She has 2 sisters and they share brushes, hair clips, in fact all that "hair stuff" sits in the same hair box.

We did the RID treatment, she is cleared for school today. I've been changing sheets, washing all that can be washed in hot water. Spraying down furniture, car upholstry. Vacuum and steam clean floors. Comforters, stuffed animals, throw pillows are in black bags in the garage (heat)

Washed all combs, brushes, hair clips. Everyone for the next little while has their own comb/brush/ponytails in a ziploc bag. We're shampooing with "lice repellant shampoo" and washing towels after every shower.

Checking the girls daily...

Here's the thing. I'm freaked out that I am going to get lice!!! I've been the one handling all the "nasty stuff" Plus dd obviously had lice before the school found it. Day before she fell asleep on my side of the bed Everytime I get a little itch I freak. I try checking myself, but I have about 1/2 inch of grey roots, so it's hard to see anything. And worst of all, if I get it, how do I treat it, nit pick it myself? I can't imagine going down to the local salon and asking them to do it for me.

Seriously flippin'!

I have a big fear of lice! My DDs have managed to never get it, but whenever we get a note from school that it is going around, my head starts to itch!!

Anyway... Just wanted to let you know that there are places that will "nit pick" for you. They are specialty salons, and I don't think they have them everywhere, but if you live in/near a major city you might be able to find one. Try googling it.

What "lice repellant shampoo" are you using?

Good luck!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

As far as I know a hair salon will not allow you in (or to stay) with lice. It's a threat to all their other customers.

Treat yourself, and get one of those fine combs and comb your hair over and over and over again. (The comb I am referring to is specially made for this situation). Actually, everyone in the house should be treated.

My sister had lice in second grade. It was not a fun time.

 

[Hollywoodhaha]

I had it in 5th grade. Except once they were gone, they would return so I didn't really get rid of them!!
It wasn't for another month! we realized that it was from the girl I repeatedly used to sleepover with and hang out with. She had it!!

So I just quit sleeping over.
When I moved away they went away permanently. It was great.

Those treatments are NOT fun. Especially sitting in a chair with my mom picking my hair.. uck.
I felt so nasty.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd has had it twice, they seem to love her.

We never got it. Key is to NITPICK NITPICK NITPICK and not worry about your house so much.

Get a good lice comb. That thing is gold. I use the LiceMeister.

Here is the comb and the site with a lot of good tips.

http://www.headlice.org/licemeister/index.htm

 

[mjkacmom]

My dd has had it twice, they seem to love her.

We never got it. Key is to NITPICK NITPICK NITPICK and not worry about your house so much.

Get a good lice comb. That thing is gold. I use the LiceMeister.

Here is the comb and the site with a lot of good tips.

http://www.headlice.org/licemeister/index.htm

I agree with this - you should literally be spending hours lice combing your kids. I also treated myself, even though I made DH check me daily, and I was lice and nit free.

 

[robinb]

My DD had lice a couple times and shared them with me once .

The first time she had lice we did the Rid treatment and the lice laughed at us. OK ... maybe not laughed but it didn't slow them down much. After 2-3 RID treatments and literal nit picking for nearly 2 months we STILL had lice I knew I had to try something else.

I *swear* by this method called "The Lice Program":
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/theliceprogram/index.html

It works great if your school does not have a "no nit" policy because it doesn't bother with nits. It removes live lice when they are big enough to remove. First the egg layers and then the juveniles as they hatch and grow. I admit that I was originally grossed out by this program because (1) at 21-days it took too long and (2) it left lice (nymphs) in the hair and I wanted those lice out NOW. But ... after my failure at more traditional methods I had nothing to lose in trying it.

After 21 days the lice were gone. I was mad that I wasted 2 months trying to poison them and dousing them in olive oil to no avail. When my DD came home a second time with lice, I went right to this program and they were gone in 3 weeks and she never missed a day of school.

There are two things that I really like about the program. The first is that I don't have to expose my family to chemicals and toxic poisons. The second is that there are rest days built into the program to allow the lice to grow big enough to comb out. Combing for lice is mentally draining on both the parent and the child when there seems to be no end in sight and I found the breaks to be a blessing.

I also have tips on combing ... first off I used one of the narrow teeth combs available at Walgreens with the little magnifier in it. That way I could make sure I was getting a little bugger and not something else. I also would have my DD wash her hair and leave conditioner in it for combing. The lice can't move easily through wet hair and the conditioner made it easy for me to comb. When combing was done she would rinse the conditioner out. ETA: I would section off her hair with metal hair clips (the kind that stylists use) and then everything went into a daily bath of water with a tablespoon of bleach in it.

FWIW, if you are picking nits any "nits" more than an inch from the scalp as really empty egg sacks and you're wasting time and energy unless your school has a no-nit policy.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

My kids had lice very badly many years ago. I also worked at a daycare that had a lice infestation twice. I have never had lice. I think it is because I blow dry my hair daily. The heat kills the lice. If you don't blow your hair dry now I would start until your house has been lice free for about a month. Blow your girls hair dry too. Good luck. Lice are the worst but they can happen to anyone.

 

[AmazingGrace]

My dd kep getting it from a friend this summer. The best thing I found to get rid if them is Licefreee spray and fine combing for hours every night. I did these two things and within a week, they were gone for good.

 

[1tricky1]

my sis mil was a 2nd grade teacher for 22years
she never got it
reason---hairspray gel etc
lice like clean hair
dd is 8 never got it
i use tea tree oil in her hair daily
vicky

 

[daisyduck123]

my sis mil was a 2nd grade teacher for 22years
she never got it
reason---hairspray gel etc
lice like clean hair
dd is 8 never got it
i use tea tree oil in her hair daily
vicky

I'm a 1st grade teacher (20 years now), and I have NEVER had it...nor has anyone in my family.

I always wear my hair WAYYYY up on my head, with hairspray as well. Just today, about 1/2 dozen 2nd graders (my former students) came by to hug me. I know it's sad to say, but I almost cringe every time they do that....because all I can think about is LICE!!

 

[1tricky1]

lol
i work in a gp office
when someone has lice i keep scratching also
but the worst of worst was a pt brougt in a bedbug to show the dr
arggg ive never seen one before
im like stay back. then itch itch itch
lol
vicky

 

[mhsjax]

My kids had lice very badly many years ago. I also worked at a daycare that had a lice infestation twice. I have never had lice. I think it is because I blow dry my hair daily. The heat kills the lice. If you don't blow your hair dry now I would start until your house has been lice free for about a month. Blow your girls hair dry too. Good luck. Lice are the worst but they can happen to anyone.

NOt only blow drying but also any "product" gel, any type of goo and hairspray. Lice actually like clan hair with nothing on it, they have a hard time attaching to hair with stuff on it.

 

[Handbag Lady]

My friend's kids came down with lice this Summer. She hired a service to come in and get rid of all of it. When they checked the kids, they checked my friend. Yep, she had them too!

It cost just about $700, but within one evening, her entire family and house was de-loused. They used a heating type-machine and went over every section of their scalps.

 

[descovy]

Well we're working on it.

I treated all of us tonight with RID. So far everyone is still nit free. If we are nit free by next week are we out of the woods?

This is just so nasty. I feel like now we've had it it's almost impossible to get rid of it. It's put me in a serious funk

 

[aprilgail2]

I
Anyway... Just wanted to let you know that there are places that will "nit pick" for you. They are specialty salons, and I don't think they have them everywhere, but if you live in/near a major city you might be able to find one.

Good luck!

I wouldn't do it any other way than going o a nit picker. I read some stories on here about what people are going through and am glad we chose the nit picker! we went to a place in Brooklyn (bit of a drive but well worth it!) called licebusters ( www.licebustersnyc.com ) and they were great. The Rid treatments don't work well anymore because lice are beginning to be resistant to it plus who wants to put pesticide on their childs head?!?!
We went to the nit picker, cost 150.00... took about an hour and a half - all they use is pantene conditioner and a nit comb. Came home, stripped all the beds, put pillows in plastic bag in basment for 4 weeks (they said two but we wanted to be sure!), vacummed, washed clothes and put it in the dryer. Remade the beds and that was that- found the lice at 3pm- by 9pm was lice free and whole "cleaning process" done. No days of picking and pesticiding, washing and cleaning. My friends family of 7 had it done for all of them there to and they did the same thing, as did my daughters other friend and her mom (they all shared the lice nicely!!!) we all went back for rechecks 7 days later and were lice/nit free....2 months later and still lice free LOL....

. I have never had lice. I think it is because I blow dry my hair daily. The heat kills the lice. If you don't blow your hair dry now I would start until your house has been lice free for about a month. Blow your girls hair dry too. Good luck. Lice are the worst but they can happen to anyone.

We were told that the lice actually LIKE blow dryers because it makes the eggs hatch quicker. It doesn't get as hot as a clothes dryer so its not hot enough to kill them.