With many sisters and 2 young daughters, I'm no stranger to head lice. I couldn't possibly tell you how many hours I've sat and picked through hair, how many sleepless nights were spent cleaning from top to bottom and trying to win the overwhelming war of the never ending laundry cycle because of these horrible things. Through the years it was always an aggravation, but one that was over within a few weeks, if the first treatment didn't do the trick. I know what I'm looking for and can spot a nit in a heartbeat, I have no questions as to what needs to be cleaned / treated and the best way to accomplish it. My problem is that THEY JUST WONT GO AWAY THIS TIME!
A few months ago I got the dreadful phone call all parents in my area expect within a month or so of school starting back. The one that says "so so has lice". Sure enough, both of my duaghters were infected. No big deal. Lets do this. Lets get it over with. We are now into our 3rd month of washing and picking. My school age daughter has missed 6 days of school total in these few months because of this. She hasn't missed 6 days of school in all of her school years, and now to miss school because of this??? The school is having a very big problem with Lice this year, so much that they are beginning school wide head checks instead of random classes being checked. Twice I've been called to pick my child up from school, the latest was just yesterday.
I'm done buying the Lice Shampoo. They are immune it. Didn't phase the live lice. (Thats an entire different story! The number of live lice I find in her head! I've NEVER seen anything like it before, and I swear they are bigger than I've ever seen them before)I've tried every single household item that I've been told to use, and before I get my butt chewed out, I made sure none of it was going to hurt my girls. We've done over the counter lice shampoo, Rx Lice Shampoo, they slept in mayo, they have sat with caps over their head for hours and soaked in listerene, the latest was sergens cat shampoo! I've done everything short of kerosene (I refuse) and shaving their heads. I have went through every single flippin strand of blonde hair in all different lighting using a magnifying glass and pulling each and every nit out by hand. (For the record, the dang nit combs dont work either). I've tried the pink hair spray "that turns nits neon pink", well, turned the rest of their hair pink and stuck around a couple of days, I bought the 30 dollar nit comb that "beeps" when a nit runs through it, and it dont work. I vaccuum daily after letting borax sit on the bedroom carpets, I use a hot iron on the mattresses and furniture, followed by a sticky lint roller to pick up any hair laying around, I've thrown away all bed pillows and throw pillows in my home. The girls have each received new bed linens. My kids no longer own a single stuffed animal. I wipe my car down followed by the lint roller on a daily basis. I just dont know what else to do! A very strong part of me feels that I am getting rid of it, and she is getting it again. Either from her morning care, school, or after school program. My younger daughter has had it twice, thats it. So I know its got to be coming from somewhere. I'm taking what steps to prevent it that I know of. Tea tree oil in the shampoo, green pert plus shampoo, mouse and gel in their hair after they get out of shower. Hair is put up in a bun or braided for school.
I'm at my wits end with it all. I'm absolutely losing my mind. It takes alot to get me as stressed as I have been with all of this. Last night while combing through head (yet again), she cried and I cried the entire time. Im exausted, sick with it all, and just feel its all just hopeless.
Any thoughts or ideas would be HUGELY APPRECIATED. I'm ready to try anything and pay whatever it takes!!!!!!!
I am soo sorry. You say the school is checking but is the day care and after school care checking too? Are they checking the teachers, janitors... EVERYONE? Sounds like maybe someone that isn't being checked and is spreading unknowingly. Esp. since you have had SOOO many outbreaks.
You might want to also change your diet for a little while. Since Lice are blood suckers and many blood suckers don't like Garlic you might want to add that to your diet. Cooked, raw, or pill, up to you. Most blood suckers also like blood that has lots of sugar in it so you might want to cut sugar as well. (that includes fruit and grains but it won't hurt you to cut that for only a week, though don't do it for longer.) It keeps mosquitoes away, might help with lice.
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M.B.
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Fort Myers
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I'm afraid I don't have any advice...but rather a question. I'm not from this area of the country we just moved here from utah. And my kids are homeschooled, but is lice something I should be worrying about. What do I look for. They are around kids at church and other activities. I don't have a clue what I'd be looking for. but my nine year old has extremely long and thick hair, I would imagine that would be a mess if she got infected. So I guess what I'm saying is should I be worried and how do I know.
thanks
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E.V.
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Fort Myers
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B.,
You mentioned tea tree oil, so this may not be news to you, but I have a great shampoo that I use for my very sensitive scalp that says the following on the label:
"Dessert Essence Therapeutic Treatment Shampoo with Eco-Harvest Tea Tree Oil, Blue Cypress and Eucalyptus -- For problematic scalp conditions and head lice"
I think my mom bought this at a local healthfood store, but you could also look for it online. I don't know if it will work any better or worse than anything you've tried, but it is all natural and has instructions on the bottle for "particularly heavy infestations of lice."
Hope this helps.
E.
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J.J.
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Fort Myers
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This is what my mom used and I know it sounds wierd but it worked for me as a child I had lice a few times... Dog Shampoo!! Not joking I cant remember the name of it but it was green lol Im sure any will work. Good Luck!!
