General Chat

That so reminds me of my hubby and his brothers talking about their dad!! When they were kids they were brought up by thier dad, an when they got nits he would send the eldest off to the local garage with a biscuit tin, to get some paraffin!! He then proceeded to cover their heads in paraffin with a ciggie hanging out of his mouth!! The way they tell the story is soooo funny!! Karen

nudge

Nits are an endemic part of school life. My sons both have short hair and only once got headlice. I don't know if they got it from school or from a club, but it was when the Pokemon craze was about and they would sit close to other boys to compare cards and heads touched. This is a rare thing for boys who are generally active - its usually girls that like to play with eachother's hair and sit close to eachother. I just do the boring conditioner and comb routine twice a week until we are all free. Letters come out from my son's primary school about once a fortnight urging people to treat hair. At their infant school they had 'nit busting night' on various Sundays to encourage everyone to treat the hair before school on Monday. But of course not every one does... nell

In the US a child has to stay away from school if they have nits to prevent others from catching them. Perhaps the UK could follow that example? Crista

Looks like I'm buying Listerene on the way home tomorrow - thanks Liz x

I work at a school, and how long have we been back!!!! last saturday my head was killing me, went through it with the nit comb. low and behold there was one. so I've combed it everyday with the comb....yesterday there was a girl there and her head was alive, did I go near her no not I... Trouble is you can't do anything about it only send letters out.when my children were there the old headmaster sent letters out asking if the parents objected to one of the school assistants going through each class, most parents agreed, but he's gone now...shame. Will keep a bottle of listerine now.. I've been told to put a drop of tes tree in the conditioner. Pat

My 3 yr old started nursery in sept and shortly after a notice went up on the door saying nits were doing the rounds and still are I might add. I read this thread and started to use the spritz method. I use a spritz bottle with a few drops of Geranium oil and Tea tree oil diluted with water. I keep it in the car so I don't forget to spritz her before she goes to nursey and thankfully she has'nt had them yet, either sheer luck or it actually works!! Dawn :-)

Thank you for that solution (lol) to the problem. I have asthma and my other half has to treat my daughter when she gets them as most shop cures make breathing difficulties worse.

Frances, I'll try that too, somethings got to kill them, Tammie

After trying just about everything when my children were still at school I finally came up with adding Rose Geranium (some shops just call it Geranium) aromatherapy oil to the shampoo and conditioner.It kills lice whereas I think Teatree only stuns them!! Our Holland and Barratt have it on special offer at the moment too. Frances

Am nudging this up again, as I'm sure theres loads of people like me that have been plagued by them since September, Did the listerine work? My 3 yr old daughter that started nursery in September had bought them home every day, as soon as she comes in from nursery I nit comb her and get a couple out, but I appear to have caught them too, and really need a good solution, I'm a single mum so I have no one that can sit picking thru my long thick brown hair to get all the eggs out, but I go through every night with the nit comb and always get a few out, what I need is something to kill the eggs, so they dont keep multiplying in my hair, anyone have any ideas? Tammie

am nudging for Samantha in Northumberland ;O)

I have to point out that a lice infestation will not go unless every single egg is removed. Unless listerine kills the eggs, they will hatch and produce more lice. No matter what shampoo or pest-destroyer you use, if it doesn't destroy the eggs (nits are actually the eggs), then the only solution is to pick out every last egg (the most boring job on earth!)! Sorry to be so nit-picky(!) but that is exactly why lice are such a problem in our schools, cos parents aren't properly informed. Bring back Nitty Nora the Dicky Explorer!

I'm glad I'm not currently having to go through what you lot are at the moment ! I will say though that in my (very limited) experience that the problem often lies with people not realising that the WHOLE family has to be treated otherwise reinfestation is bound to take place - the little b***ers don't mind how old the person is! Magsx

Tracey, I know someone else who used dog flea shampoo on her kids hair too. I dont know how safe it would be but they were all ok last time I saw them(kids that is not the nits) It worked though I wouldnt use it on kids cos I think it would be a bit harsh and its meant for dog too lol Can I just say that my friend told me last night that she now sprays her kids with half listerine and half water mixed in a bottle every couple of days and has had no reoccurance of nits.However the test will be next week girls wont it?!! I have also thought about next week and think the best thing for any of you who have a problem at school would be to suggest all the mums bring listerine into school and do the kids hair all on one day...result would be no nits in the school so no one passing them on??? Dont know if it would work maybe not PC I dont know but worth thinking about. Also as soon as kids get in from school I am going to go through with the comb straight away to catch big ones caught during school and spritz with the half and half mixture.Then do the same in the moring before school. Please let me know if it works for you as you try it out.The test will be next week and I for one will be crossing fingers and spritzing away like mad :) Debbi xxxxx

I know this sounds disgusting but I have been told that Flea shampoo for dogs works!!!!!! I haven't tried it because I've not had the problem yet with my little girl but I will if I do!!

Sammy I just read the thread as I have been away and was rather worried but then remebered my friend who told me has ginger hair and her kids have blonde and she didnt say anything about a 'blue rinse' when she told me the 'cure' but I did hold my breath as I scrolled lol Glad its worked for you too Debbi xxxxx

Her hair is still blonde... ;) And, from what I've seen so far, head-lice free!!! We had visitors just after my daughter had washed her hair, she didn't want us sat there like mummy chimp & baby chimp with me picking through it!! So she combed it through herself. My daughter got a few out, all dead, when I did it again later I didn't see one. I still don't think I'd risk an all-nighter....LOL but by Golly it does seem to have worked!!!!!!

Debbi, What a good idea about passing this list on,How about everybody passing the list to the Headteacher and then she/he could show the list to the "NIT NURSE" when they come round the schools. Sue

I have just tried the Listerine, I had a choice of "flavours" cool mint & fresh mint (I think) anyway, my daugher is the the shower washing it off right now, it's only been on about 20 minutes but her blonde hair has a very blue tinge to it, and so do my hands. I don't want to leave it on all night at the risk of sending her hair an awful colour. I'll comb it through and hope for the best. So be careful anyone with blonde children Sam