NITS

[Achild]

Hi Guys,


Wanted to just check out some advise regarding NITS. I look after two sisters. One of which had an 'infestation' according to Mum and was subsequently treated before she came that morning. However, she hadn't treated the sibling. And she still hasn't.

They are due back on Monday and can't help feeling that the sibling ALSO needs to be treated before she comes. Even though she might not have signs, she'll be lying on my bedding and sitting on my soft furnishings with potential eggs growing in her hair!! I think out of respect, she should also be treated just in case. As I also have two children of my own and other childminding children to think about.


The whole thing makes me itchy!!


TIA for advise!!

[Bluebell]

think nits go hair to hair - not to soft furnishings? I could be wrong!

When you say 'treat' do you mean with a medicated lotion or combed through with conditioner and special comb?

I'm surprised mum didn't 'treat' sibling but maybe she combed through as a precaution and didn't find any signs so felt it wasn't necessary. The advice we receive from the school is regular nit comb through with conditioner is best way.

Just keep an eye on your own children and comb through. My 2 boys got nits so many times through school that now I regularly comb through once a week to check nothing new - if they have got anything then I revert back to the every couple of days for 2 weeks to ensure got rid of all of them!

Good luck - I hope you haven't got them - I always find the hardest person to treat is myself! Think suggest to mum as a precaution best to treat everyone in household but don't think you can't insist on it

I would also pass on that there has been nits in the setting so as a precaution check children

[Tealady]

Alot of the lotions and potions advise to only treat if live lice have been found.

However after DD had an infestation after infestation I did treat the whole family. Even though I couldn't see any in DH's & DS's hair and being told by DH that I had none I slapped on the stuff and low and behold we all had dead ones come to the surface. We have been clear ever since.

[Achild]

I did read somewhere that if they rested their head on my sofa, eggs could fall out onto sofa. Which then could be transferred to the next person that rested their head on sofa.


Have informed other parents to keep a check.


So you think it's okay to insist sibling gets treated???

[bindy]

The advice I was given was to treat only if had nits because the lotions and potions become less effective other wise

[Tealady]

The "Nits" are actually the eggs that the louse glues to the hair.

They are difficult to get off. Some combs will remove them but I still find I have to pull some of them off with my fingernails or pluck the hair out. I don't see how the egg would fall out unless one was stuck to a hair that fell out of the follicle then got caught up another persons hair where the stray hair stayed until it hatched.

From what I understand Headlice are only transferred by crawling from one head to another.

[loocyloo]

The nitty gritty comb is great. I've had one for years!

If I think/know lice are around at school I use a scalp rub made of 100 ml alcohol ( I use vodka! ) with a few drops of either lavender or tea tree oil. Shake it together and rub it into the scalp. It doesn't kill the live but don't stay around to lay their eggs.

[clairer]

I agree with tealady I believe headlice are only transferred by crawling from one head to another. Can you google it?

[scottishlass]

I had also been told that for the treatments they should only be used on people who definately have them - although when one of m daughters had them I still did all of us as felt better for it! Also I found they are not that easy to spot! I only found 2 in my daughters hair and had to really search and look really closely - was a nightmare! Xx