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nicnic74
29-Feb-08, 21:48
Has anyone got any advice on head lice, nearly every week since the
last 3 mths iv had to treat our kids for it. The worst thing is you not
allowed to notify the schools anymore they just mention it in the
school newsletter, some people are just not treating their kids for it
so when i treat mine for it on a fri nite by mon, tues nite when they come home from school thev'e got it again, it really gets me down.

Any advice would really help. thanx

unicorn
29-Feb-08, 21:59
tea tree oil

mums angels
29-Feb-08, 22:03
my daughter got it last ester and it took forever to get rid off , unfortunatly treating it too often just won't help as they build up a resistance and most treatment effectivley kill off the live lice but not the eggs so they hatch out a few days later resulting in a new outbreak . i should stay away from full marks mouse as mouse doesn't tend to get into the hair aswell, i used deemac and lyclear. i now use lyclear sprayaway daily on her hair and unfortunatly shes never allowed to have it down for school , i wet comb every two days and always make sure i condition the hair aswell . its a horrible thing and i find most parents don't even check there childs hair even when they know its about , they figure that if the child isn't scratching they can't have it where only some people itch as its an allergic reaction and this can be up to a month after infestation . my advice is to wet comb daily just to ensure there are no eggs that are hatching etc then when shes completly clear keep it up regulary and talk top her about being careful of head to head contact . i would even phone some of her friends parents to let them know so they can check there child , the school might not tell anyone anymore but nothing stopping you from doing so as its nothing to be ashamed of .good luck .

p.s getting a good nit comb really helped , i got a long metal toothed one from co-op chemist much better than the white ones you get in the packets .

chaz
29-Feb-08, 22:03
We had this problem a couple of years ago,i will look and see if i can find the name of the lotion i found worked and kept them away.I know the only place i could get it then was tescos in inverness.It drove me mad that other people werent bothering:mad:

justine
29-Feb-08, 22:04
HEDRIN ......New product out...Based on an oil which drowns the lice and the eggs..Also makes it easier to comb out the offenders...To be repeated 2 weeks after first application...Can be got from Health Visitor if your children are under five, or any local chemist(boots has it)....

I also recomend every 2 days between apllications to go through the hair with conditioner and nit comb....

Mine still come home with them but this is the best way to get rid of them in the long run..Keeping on top of them....


It can be used on all ages as there are no chemicals that are harmful....

You are quite correct.It is so annoying when others dont do their childrens hair...have brought this up at my daughters school many times but it seems to go unoticed...But i soldier on with them......costs us a fortune as most of the time we buy it, but i will get from HV if need be....

Tugmistress
29-Feb-08, 22:10
Quite a few years ago now i was driven mad by the neep coming home with them from shool, same cycle, clear them up and then a couple of weeks later infested again. i went through everything i could find in the chemist and from the doctor, and out of sheer desperation i used bob martins flea killer shampoo on her as i had just de--flead the dogs, it flipping well worked too [lol]

mums angels
29-Feb-08, 22:10
HEDRIN ......New product out...Based on an oil which drowns the lice and the eggs..Also makes it easier to comb out the offenders...To be repeated 2 weeks after first application...Can be got from Health Visitor if your children are under five, or any local chemist(boots has it)....

I also recomend every 2 days between apllications to go through the hair with conditioner and nit comb....

Mine still come home with them but this is the best way to get rid of them in the long run..Keeping on top of them....


It can be used on all ages as there are no chemicals that are harmful....

You are quite correct.It is so annoying when others dont do their childrens hair...have brought this up at my daughters school many times but it seems to go unoticed...But i soldier on with them......costs us a fortune as most of the time we buy it, but i will get from HV if need be....


that reminds me that you can get lice treatment free under the minor ailments system which is for all children no matter what age ,you get the one the chemist recommends .

mums angels
29-Feb-08, 22:12
Quite a few years ago now i was driven mad by the neep coming home with them from shool, same cycle, clear them up and then a couple of weeks later infested again. i went through everything i could find in the chemist and from the doctor, and out of sheer desperation i used bob martins flea killer shampoo on her as i had just de--flead the dogs, it flipping well worked too [lol]


did that damage her hair ? i got very tempted last year to do something similar but was to scared to incase it went wrong :eek:LOL

Tugmistress
29-Feb-08, 22:14
did that damage her hair ? i got very tempted last year to do something similar but was to scared to incase it went wrong :eek:LOL

to be perfectly honest no it didn't! she smelled nice, it shined and it was really soft too, i was quite amazed.

twiglet
29-Feb-08, 22:15
Had this problem down south and none of the chemist over the counter lotions were working, the lice were resistant to it. I found an online herbal oil (sorry can't remember the name but has neem oil in it) and it really worked. Left in on the hair for 20 mins and even the eggs combed out. Followed up with combing with a nitti gritti comb every other day for several weeks and got rid of them.

Like you, my daughter had them for 3 months and it drove me insane! Also got very annoyed with parents that I knew were not bothering to treat their children. Also was spending £40 a month as the whole family has to be treated every time. Using tea tree works too as a preventative. Good luck.

Julia
29-Feb-08, 22:18
I have used every treatment available as my daughter was continually being reinfested at school.

I went to my doctor and asked for Carbaryl, it's like a last resort treatment and can be prescribed if all other avenues have been tried. This was the one treatment that finally got rid of the lice. She has since moved schools so the contact with the infested child is no longer a problem, it's just cruel to think that a parent doesn't do anything to get rid of their kids lice.

We also have a nitty gritty (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.nittygritty.co.uk/ng/index.jsp) comb (they can be bought online and I am sure you can get it free from somewhere)

We use tea tree shampoo now, it's a natural repellent. A good repellent spray used daily also helps.

I also used to regularly leave her hairbrush in the freezer overnight, I know lice aren't supposed to live off the human body for more than a few hours but the ones we had were extremely resistant.

The school nurse also advised that one of the best home treatments was to leave Dove conditioner on the hair for at least two hours then rinse off, apparently that is just as effective as any over-the-counter lice product.

mums angels
29-Feb-08, 22:21
thats the nitty gritty comb i got from co-op chemist for free in Thurso , its great for checking the hair and when she had it last year it was the one that helped get rid of the beasties once and for all .


I have used every treatment available as my daughter was continually being reinfested at school.

I went to my doctor and asked for Carbaryl (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://besttreatments.bmj.com/btuk/conditions/21401.html), it's like a last resort treatment and can be prescribed if all other avenues have been tried. This was the one treatment that finally got rid of the lice. She has since moved schools so the contact with the infested child is no longer a problem, it's just cruel to think that a parent doesn't do anything to get rid of their kids lice.

We also have a nitty gritty (http://forum.caithness.org/go.php?url=http://www.nittygritty.co.uk/ng/index.jsp) comb (they can be bought online and I am sure you can get it free from somewhere)

We use tea tree shampoo now, it's a natural repellent. A good repellent spray used daily also helps.

I also used to regularly leave her hairbrush in the freezer overnight, I know lice aren't supposed to live off the human body for more than a few hours but the ones we had were extremely resistant.

The school nurse also advised that one of the best home treatments was to leave Dove conditioner on the hair for at least two hours then rinse off, apparently that is just as effective as any over-the-counter lice product.

nicnic74
29-Feb-08, 23:19
thank you everyone for your comments i will def try a few of them out

Cheers

balto
29-Feb-08, 23:21
my kids caught them at school a few years ago and it took me months to get rid of them but so far they havent come back. i wash their hair in tea tree shampoo every other night just to make sure we keep the little pests away. my got im itching just thinking about it.

Sapphire2803
29-Feb-08, 23:38
I would agree with the others who said get a nitty gritty comb (http://www.nittygritty.co.uk/ng/index.jsp), they're excellent and I think there's a lifetime guarantee on them, so if you manage to break it, they'll replace it.
Comb every day for two weeks using conditioner, I use a little serum (for frizzy hair) as well.
The nitty gritty site has a lot of info as well as selling the combs.

George Brims
29-Feb-08, 23:54
Don't forget that your kid doesn't have to go to school to get re-infested. You have to wash pillowcases, towels etc the child has used - a little bleach in the wash is a good idea. Oh and you had better have the kid check *your* head - the source of re-infestation might be you!

percy toboggan
01-Mar-08, 00:00
I had head lice when I was six. My Mother noticed me scratching my head constantly at a Ballet performance of my older sister. I was not just baffled by the antics on stage - my head was crawling with the little beggars. A powerful chemical concoction saw them off....the Ballet troupe continued for several more years.

Sapphire2803
01-Mar-08, 00:12
The lotions and shampoos that our parents used on us worked a treat, that's because they contained malathion. They're not allowed to use it any more.
No fair :(

sassylass
01-Mar-08, 02:37
Some of the chemicals nowadays are very strong and it would not be healthy for your child to be overly exposed to such pesticides. After the maximum treatments, switch over to herbal remedies. Picking out every single nit is important, as is laundering every possible thing and bagging up stuffed animals and such things which cannot be laundered. Good luck and try to think of it as quality time spent with your child.

percy toboggan
01-Mar-08, 09:04
I recall being dangled by my ankles into a vat of DDT.
It was 1957 after all...and I'm sure it didn't do me any harm.

Lou
01-Mar-08, 10:15
Hiya, i read with interest the head lice responses. My kids went through a period of time getting them constantly at school, and it was just down to one family who for what ever reason couldn't get rid of their kids nits. I went on to the Scottish Executives website ........ and teachers and the school nurse CAN contact the parents direct and visit the family with the problem to offer advice and insist it gets sorted, as to leave a child infested with nits is an act of 'neglect' and the parents can even be prosecuted if advice is ignored. The SSPCA can fine a family for leaving a dog iching with fleas, well the authority can enforce a parent to treat an itching child for nits! Don't be fobbed off by the schools/nurse... take action and DEMAND that they sort this problem out. May seem strong, but keep the pressure on. If you suspect a certain family, the school and the school nurse can send a letter home to that parent direct. Its rubbish about sending out a 'general leaflet'. It's all listed on the Scottish Executive website. Been there, seen it, got the t-shirt! I used Prioderm Lotion on my kids. Absolutely stinks, so I put it on them outside so the breeze took the smell away. Keep it on overnight (spray their hair with perfume if they don't like the smell!), and you can be rest assured the nits will be killed outright. Tea tree shampoo and conditioner is ok to use in place of normal shampoos, but if there's nits in the school you'll always have them coming back. There are rules there to protect your children, they're just not made common knowledge thats all. Hope this helps.

Lou
01-Mar-08, 10:25
All the information you need is at www.scotland.gov.uk (http://www.scotland.gov.uk) (Scottish Executive Health Website).

Type head lice into the search.

You'll be gobsmacked by what should be carried out.

Don't be fobbed off by officials saying they're too busy etc, parent power can make sure its done! And it can be done.

Lou
01-Mar-08, 10:33
Hiya, i read with interest the head lice responses to a previous thread. My kids went through a period of time getting them constantly at school, and it was just down to one family who for what ever reason couldn't get rid of their kids nits. I went on to the Scottish Executives website ........ and teachers and the school nurse CAN contact the parents direct and visit the family with the problem to offer advice and insist it gets sorted, as to leave a child infested with nits is an act of 'neglect' and the parents can even be prosecuted if advice is ignored. The SSPCA can fine a family for leaving a dog iching with fleas, well the authority can enforce a parent to treat an itching child for nits! Don't be fobbed off by the schools/nurse... take action and DEMAND that they sort this problem out. May seem strong, but keep the pressure on. If you suspect a certain family, the school and the school nurse can send a letter home to that parent direct. Its rubbish about sending out a 'general leaflet'. It's all listed on the Scottish Executive website. Been there, seen it, got the t-shirt! I used Prioderm Lotion on my kids. Absolutely stinks, so I put it on them outside so the breeze took the smell away. Keep it on overnight (spray their hair with perfume if they don't like the smell!), and you can be rest assured the nits will be killed outright. Tea tree shampoo and conditioner is ok to use in place of normal shampoos, but if there's nits in the school you'll always have them coming back. There are rules there to protect your children, they're just not made common knowledge thats all. Go to www.scotland.gov.uk (http://www.scotland.gov.uk), search head lice. The information is all there. Hope this helps.

golach
01-Mar-08, 10:39
another good web site is www.patient.co.uk

kriklah
01-Mar-08, 11:13
couple of years ago, after spending the summer hols getting the kids(and me) clear of them yet again, back to school they went, 1 week later....... aaaaagh!!!! debugging the boys was easy enough, grade 2 with the hair clippers, but us girls have long hair and no over the counter treatments worked anymore so looked on the net for natural cures.

this is the stuff i got in the end www.nitmix.com (http://www.nitmix.com)

i got the wet combing aid, and the pure daily spray and the comb. spent a couple of hours combing out the girls hair. now this stuff, while it doesnt kill the bugs, makes it so much easier to comb them out, but not only that, it stripped out all the eggs aswell, and i mean really got the lot. usually, being dark haired ment if you looked underneath it was riddled with the dead white eggs. this time though, when finished and dry, there was nothing, it got the lot. we then used the daily spray for a couple of weeks. i havent seen a head louse since!!!!!! it was such a nice feeling to know wed finally won the battle.

nicnic74
01-Mar-08, 12:53
Put the ointment on my daughters hair again last
nite, got all the louse out this morning but her hair
is just covered in the eggs.
Sent my partner down to boots just now to get a
nittygritty comb i just hope it works

Julia
01-Mar-08, 13:34
The comb works well but is hard to get through the hair, once you start going down the hair you have to pull all the hair through as the comb won't go up the way. We too found that the hardest bit was getting all the eggs out!

sassylass
01-Mar-08, 17:31
Put the ointment on my daughters hair again last
nite, got all the louse out this morning but her hair
is just covered in the eggs.
Sent my partner down to boots just now to get a
nittygritty comb i just hope it works

If you have no luck with the comb, sit in bright light (sunshine if possible) and use your fingernails. Work systematically through the hair, then double and triple check. Time consuming but it does work. Be sure to clean under your nails afterwards.

Mister Squiggle
01-Mar-08, 17:44
My daughter has very long hair and has had lice a couple of times. What I found worked in getting all the eggs out was to have her sit in a nice warm bath, slap as much t-tree conditioner on her hair as possible (Tesco and the Co-Op both sell big bottles of the stuff, budget priced) and leave it on for a good 5 minutes. (It's mild enough conditioner to do this).
Then, using the nit comb, I just combed the conditioner out, section by section. It pulls a lot less and seems to get adults and all the eggs too. If you do this, once you let the water out of the bath you can see how many of the little critters have bitten the dust, as they tend to get left behind by the tide.
There's no way I could dry-comb the eggs out as when I tried that, I snapped some of the comb's teeth off and she yelped like a banshee.
Then, after a good comb and a rinse, I did another run over her (now completely tangle-free) hair after she hopped out of the bath.
I have also bought two different leave-in sprays, made from organic products (mainly essential oils) which I bought from Boots. A few squirts of these for a few days frighten the little blighters away.
They're a right pain. Good luck!
PS My niece has very frizzy hair and, in desperation, my sister-in-law resorted to olive oil, which allowed the comb to get through the tangles a lot easier. Same effect - nits and eggs all gone, and her hair looked beautiful and silky too.