Headlice help!

[Kerry30]

I have a school aged mindee that is with me before and after school during term time and full time in holidays (11 hrs a day). My problem is mindee always has nits. Mum is aware of it as I mention that mindee is scratching pretty much everyday. Mums reply is that she knows but child falls asleep and she doesn't get chance to go thru hair. And these aren't small nits in the hair they are pretty big ones. To the point that when mindee shakes their head they are dropping out. Mum also knows this as I have said about it. I have offered to comb thru child's hair, as being with me such long hours but mum said she would do it. I am constantly aware of keeping my head away from the child's head, especially when doing seatbelts etc as I don't want them. It is also unfair on the other children in my care. I just wondered if anyone had a headlice policy that they could share and do any of you exclude? I am getting truly fed up, I found a big one in my hair last night whilst washing it. I was then combing it for half the night but didn't find any more, thankfully.

[loocyloo]

Ughh.
I loathe headlice.

I don't have a policy but I would create one NOW!

I don't know but I think you would be able to say to mum/write a letter saying that the headlice are impacting on everyone else and she MUST treat. And I think I would say I would exclude until she has done so. You can get the shampoos to wash in and then wash out. Yes it takes time and isn't a 'fun' job but it's not fair on the child or the rest of you. I can't believe mindee falls asleep as soon as they get home. Mum needs to make it a priority. I suspect that several of your other mindees will have them by now.

It's very kind of you to offer to comb child's hair but really it's a parents responsibility.

Maybe if parents do the first wash/comb etc, you could do a 'check' comb through.

Good luck xx

[mama2three]

My policy states that children are welcome to return once treated. This mum is seriously taking the p out of you and that's to say nothing about her neglect of the poor child , who will be driven to distraction by the constant bites.
I think I would be writing her a sternly worded letter , dropping in the fact that she is putting you in a difficult position as this could be classed as neglect which you are duty bound to report.

[Simona]

I have a school aged mindee that is with me before and after school during term time and full time in holidays (11 hrs a day). My problem is mindee always has nits. Mum is aware of it as I mention that mindee is scratching pretty much everyday. Mums reply is that she knows but child falls asleep and she doesn't get chance to go thru hair. And these aren't small nits in the hair they are pretty big ones. To the point that when mindee shakes their head they are dropping out. Mum also knows this as I have said about it. I have offered to comb thru child's hair, as being with me such long hours but mum said she would do it. I am constantly aware of keeping my head away from the child's head, especially when doing seatbelts etc as I don't want them. It is also unfair on the other children in my care. I just wondered if anyone had a headlice policy that they could share and do any of you exclude? I am getting truly fed up, I found a big one in my hair last night whilst washing it. I was then combing it for half the night but didn't find any more, thankfully.

Just reading your comment has made me scratch my head!!

Has the child got headlice crawling in her hair...they are live and move...or has she got nits which are the eggs laid by the headlice which are tiny white specks like dust?

Once you have established this the mum has to carry out treatment...usually covering hair in lots and lots of conditioner which the nits cannot stick to but it has to be done consistently for a few days.

Get mum to see this for advice
How to treat nits - Live Well - NHS Choices (http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/childhealth6-15/Pages/Nits.aspx)

[AliceK]

Mum should be made aware that by knowingly not treating her DD when the situation is this bad counts as neglect. Silly woman, why would you not treat your child and get rid of them. The rest of the family must also have them if they are that bad.

If I notice evidence in a childs hair, I text the parent to let them know, that gives them a chance to get some treatment and then as long as they have treated the child later on at home I will not exclude but if they don't treat (never happened) then I will exclude.

Poor child :(

xx

[Kerry30]

Thanks everyone. I got another cm to check my hair this morning and she couldnt see any live ones buts lots of eggs. So got myself a treatment. I normally just do lots of combing to get rid of them but im fed up of feeling itchy all the time.
Shes with me 7.30 til 6.30 everyday hence the reason i offered to treat. But i agree thats the parents responsiblity not mine.
I had another mindee turn up this morning with parent apoligising for state of childs hair...she had found some eggs so had been combing and put a treatment on, (so her hair looked all greasy). Giving her strict instructions to keep it tied up! Just shows how simple it is.

[Victoria85]

Before moving into Childminding (very recently) I was a teacher. If we had recurrent or untreated nits it was logged and after an amount of time it was reported to Social Services as neglect.
Make sure you have written down days you have seen them and in what state and conversations you have had with Mum. Perhaps phone LA and ask for advice.
Hope you get something sorted
x

[natlou82]

There's no excuse not to treat. My DD had them a few weeks ago, I noticed the eggs before school one morning and then combed and found a live one! Got the treatment got her hair tied up and got her to school an hr late. It's not a hardship it's called parenting! I would exclude until treatment has been done - she could do one evening and child return in morning! It's not fair in you and the other children you care for. Hope you get it sorted.

[alwaysright]

omg so you and another child in the setting have already caught them from this child? that is disgusting, that parent is downright lazy and inconsdierate. i would exclude immediately and she would not be allowed back until treated and clear. to be honest as well i would not be happy if i was the parent of the child who had caught them from this child. i have only had one case of nits/lice but the child was sent straight home and not allowed back until treated. its in my policies that i exclude for this

[Jollybones]

I have had this with a child for nearly 2 years and now the younger sibling was in the same situation. I was close to tears most days and they are cuddly girls and I felt torn.
In the end I introduced an "incident" type form that I made myself, and the mum and I had to sign to say I had notified her the child in question had nits and it had to be treated before she came the next day. I knew she would only treat once then leave it so I would check every day with a nit comb and as soon as I found or saw one egg or lice I wrote on the form again and got mum to sign - I gave her leaflets etc that I printed off the internet. Each incident was just a line long on 1 A4 page so by week 3 when she had 5 incidents signed she could see I was not going to give up!!
The older child would tell me how mum had been through her hair that morning or the night before. I made a point of telling mum how cruel other children could be especially older children at nursery or school and also at how uncomfortable it must feel.

This is really helped the situation as I only ever see eggs now whereas before it would be as you had described, big ones crawling all over. Maybe try the form for her to sign each time you see them, hopefully it will help your situation too. :)

[Kerry30]

Well I told mum that she needed treating that night as other parents had been complaining (not true but she didnt know that) and funnily enough she treated that night. I was on holiday last week and mindee off this week so hopefully she'll be all clear by next week!

[Kerry30]

Rant alert!... both me and dd now have headlice again. Treated dd this morning and myself but im still itching so may have to do it again later. Getting so hacked off now. Lo was back last week after 2 weeks off and was scratching again by end of last week and this morning grrrr! We've all been clear tho the time lo wasnt here. :(