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Lice in Livonia; and the nightmare it brings
Topic Started: Jul 29 2009, 09:10 PM (1,257 Views)
Momof4
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I am posting this for informational purposes.
I am on day 12 of the lice nightmare. They were discovered on my youngest daughter and son Saturday, July 18th. Both were treated with OTC lice shampoo which contains a pesticide but the eggs (nits) must be removed by hand. Discovery on my oldest daughter came later in the week.

The reason for this post is that I am urging people to be forthright in telling people if their children have lice. I have told everyone I know. If children may have come in contact with another child with lice, it is important to tell the parents so that the children are thoroughly checked. Lice start out very, very small. Like the period at the end of this sentence. A child has to be checked daily for a few days. We discovered it early on two of the kids, but the youngest daughter was infested pretty badly. The laundry, vacuuming, nitpicking is enough to drive you mad, so the earlier the discovery, the better.

Lice have nothing to to with the cleanliness of a child or household. Although I personally beat myself up for not noticing the lice on my daughter b/c I had just brushed her hair, if your child has lice it does not say anything negative about your parenting skills. Anyone can get lice. They are often very difficult to see in the first stages, and hide from being noticed.

According to the clerk at Rite Aid, the lice shampoo is "flying off the shelves." I have heard that Livonia is having real problems, but not one person has come forth in person. My feeling is that if we are open about this problem, we can control it - because once school starts this problem will become massive.

Also, there is no comb in the stores that gets all the nits out, regardless of what the packaging says. I have found one that does a great job and will post that website if requested. I still had to manually remove some of the nits, even with this awesome comb.

Please see this website for a great manual from Wayne County Health. Look under important docs then click on head lice manual.
http://www.waynecounty.com/mygovt/hhs/publichealth/ph_provider.aspx
It does a good job of describing the basics and has great resources for schools. I personally intend to contact our principal once school begins and volunteer to better inform the parents.

As someone who has gone thru it, I am wiling to answer any questions you have. Now i have to check my washer and vacuum some more.... but the end is near.
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fhsalumni
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Momof4
Jul 29 2009, 09:10 PM
I am posting this for informational purposes.
I am on day 12 of the lice nightmare. They were discovered on my youngest daughter and son Saturday, July 18th. Both were treated with OTC lice shampoo which contains a pesticide but the eggs (nits) must be removed by hand. Discovery on my oldest daughter came later in the week.

The reason for this post is that I am urging people to be forthright in telling people if their children have lice. I have told everyone I know. If children may have come in contact with another child with lice, it is important to tell the parents so that the children are thoroughly checked. Lice start out very, very small. Like the period at the end of this sentence. A child has to be checked daily for a few days. We discovered it early on two of the kids, but the youngest daughter was infested pretty badly. The laundry, vacuuming, nitpicking is enough to drive you mad, so the earlier the discovery, the better.

Lice have nothing to to with the cleanliness of a child or household. Although I personally beat myself up for not noticing the lice on my daughter b/c I had just brushed her hair, if your child has lice it does not say anything negative about your parenting skills. Anyone can get lice. They are often very difficult to see in the first stages, and hide from being noticed.

According to the clerk at Rite Aid, the lice shampoo is "flying off the shelves." I have heard that Livonia is having real problems, but not one person has come forth in person. My feeling is that if we are open about this problem, we can control it - because once school starts this problem will become massive.

Also, there is no comb in the stores that gets all the nits out, regardless of what the packaging says. I have found one that does a great job and will post that website if requested. I still had to manually remove some of the nits, even with this awesome comb.

Please see this website for a great manual from Wayne County Health. Look under important docs then click on head lice manual.
http://www.waynecounty.com/mygovt/hhs/publichealth/ph_provider.aspx
It does a good job of describing the basics and has great resources for schools. I personally intend to contact our principal once school begins and volunteer to better inform the parents.

As someone who has gone thru it, I am wiling to answer any questions you have. Now i have to check my washer and vacuum some more.... but the end is near.
My son was infested while at Disney a few years back after trying on hats at a shop. I've found that after the initial treatment, slicking the hair down with regular hair gel and coming through the entire head every other day for the two week period before the final retreat worked very well. We also changed the bedding daily and vaccumed the mattress, pillows and floor. Thankfully, we have leather furniture in the family room and he was confined there for 2 weeks.
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Momof4
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Yes, I vacuum every thing in the house, every day. I have clipped both boys hair to 1/4 inch and am willing to go shorter if necessary. She has one seat in the house and the sheet under her is changed daily, as is her bed.
One problem is my daughter has the hair of two people and it is long, so it is a two hour process to get the nits daily. I have also soaked her head/hair with olive oil and she has slept with it in with a bathing cap. This is a natural way to smother the lice... her hair is very soft now, too, making it easier to go to. She also has a ponytail in with tons of hairspray. I guess lice do not like hair products. I, myself, am so sick of my hair in a braid and hairsprayed like a helmet, but so far have avoided the lice. However, I have been itchy from head to toe since learning of the infestation - the games my mind plays.
How horrible to get them in Disney!
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Mrs.M
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I've been fortunate to not experience the critters first hand. I know when the schools had the infestations, letters would go out to the individual classes. And then the sibling's classrooms since "siblings like sharing". I believe after X amount of classrooms affected, a schoolwide letter would go home.

I do remember using mineral oil (saturated on the scalp) overnight to remove the cradle cap. Worked like a charm.

I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be WRONG.
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Purple Haze
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We too have had the dang critters, which I believe came from a bean bag chair at school. At least 3 kids got infected.

Long, long hair is a real disadvantage when you have lice. Did the RidX treatment, then mayonnaise.
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IDK
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Thank you for posting this! Parents frequently try to hide the fact that their children have lice, it is embarrassing to admit but it is so helpful to stop it from spreading. I have had children in my class that are sent home with lice and the parents try to send them back after just a shampoo. You must do everything! Did you clean out the car too? If you have fabric seats in your car, clean those as well. Bag up the stuffed animals or run them through the dryer. It can be so hard to get rid of but is worse to have it come back.
My head is itching just thinking about it/
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Ms. AK
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Mom, Thank you for this thread.

I looked online for photos of lice. They were magnified and I could not tell what they look like on hair.

Are they white, black...?
Krome on Cars

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Whatever
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Natural Head Lice Removal in the Classroom
August 13, 2008
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/938351/natural_head_lice_removal_in_the_classroom_pg2_pg2.html?cat=5
Get Rid of Head Lice the Natural, Environmentally-friendly Way

The start of a new school year is almost upon us. As your children get ready to go back to school, have you given much thought to head lice? It's a topic that makes many parents shudder. Head lice can be a pain to get rid of, especially in a school classroom setting where kids are in constant close contact, making it easy for head lice to transfer from one student's head to the next.

But a case of head lice is a curable problem. Get rid of head lice without using toxic chemicals. Avoid commercial head lice removal shampoos and chemicals. Protect your child's health and safety, and the health of the environment, while also eliminating head lice with the following natural head-lice-removal tips:

Natural, Safe, Organic Ways to Get Rid of Head Lice:

Just say "no!" to those commercial head lice products that are often full of dangerous, potentially toxic chemicals.

- Make a natural, organic hair shampoo that is gentle for children, but deadly to head lice. Mix coconut-castile soap (Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap makes some great, natural castile soap products) with organic tea tree oil. The castile soap will clean your child's hair, and the tea tree oil's natural antimicrobial properties will cool and refresh your kid's scalp. Wash your child's hair with this mixture at least twice.

- After washing your child's hair with the tea tree oil castile soap, comb through the hair with a special nit-removing comb. This comb is made of very, very fine bristles that will catch any head lice eggs. It is very, very important to break the head lice life cycle by killing both the adult head lice and the eggs!

- Wash your child's hair again with the natural head lice soap, and comb again. When finished, comb some tea tree oil through your kid's hair.

- You'll need to wash and comb your child's head every day. Meanwhile, you'll also want to destroy any head lice that might be on your kid's bedding, pillows, etc. Head lice can't survive extreme temperatures. Wash your child's bedding in very hot water spiked with tea tree oil (which can help deter head lice from settling there).


These natural home remedies to head lice is a great way to rid your child of these irritating pests without resorting to potentially toxic chemicals. When used repeatedly, these natural techniques can break the head lice life cycle in your child's hair and successfully eliminate head lice from your household.



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Whatever
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http://www.robicomb.com/


Robi Comb - The SAFE Lice Killer

PESTICIDE FREE & REUSABLE

LiceGuard's patented Robi Comb Detects and Destroys Lice on contact! Simply comb through dry hair. When the electronic Robi Comb contacts lice, they get zapped and then die.

Detects Lice - Just comb through dry hair
Destroys Lice on Contact
No Chemicals / Non-Toxic
No Mess, No Gels, No Oils
No Odor or Fragrance
Use Anywhere and Anytime on Dry Hair
Reusable and Economical
Safe and Effective

Many people are wary of using dangerous chemical gels and toxic shampoos that claim to get rid of lice by killing them in seconds, because they all use powerful pesticides! More and more parents and care givers are treating lice using the safe Robi Comb way instead.

In addition, while lice have been reported to be building up a resistance to pesticides used in other lice treatments, lice cannot become resistant to the Robi Comb treatment.

Save Money

The Robi Comb also happens to be a very economical way to kill lice fast. Harsh chemical treatments and toxic shampoos cost between $9 - $15 a treatment. Most shampoos suggest between 2-4 treatments per out-break per person. Compare that to 1 multi-use Robi Comb that can be used over and over, as often as you like. The Robi Comb can be stored and used repeatedly by the entire family!

http://www.liceguard.com/videos.aspx

Edited by Whatever, Jul 30 2009, 12:38 PM.
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Momof4
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Whatever
Jul 30 2009, 12:31 PM
http://www.robicomb.com/


Robi Comb - The SAFE Lice Killer

PESTICIDE FREE & REUSABLE

LiceGuard's patented Robi Comb Detects and Destroys Lice on contact! Simply comb through dry hair. When the electronic Robi Comb contacts lice, they get zapped and then die.

Detects Lice - Just comb through dry hair
Destroys Lice on Contact
No Chemicals / Non-Toxic
No Mess, No Gels, No Oils
No Odor or Fragrance
Use Anywhere and Anytime on Dry Hair
Reusable and Economical
Safe and Effective

Many people are wary of using dangerous chemical gels and toxic shampoos that claim to get rid of lice by killing them in seconds, because they all use powerful pesticides! More and more parents and care givers are treating lice using the safe Robi Comb way instead.

In addition, while lice have been reported to be building up a resistance to pesticides used in other lice treatments, lice cannot become resistant to the Robi Comb treatment.

Save Money

The Robi Comb also happens to be a very economical way to kill lice fast. Harsh chemical treatments and toxic shampoos cost between $9 - $15 a treatment. Most shampoos suggest between 2-4 treatments per out-break per person. Compare that to 1 multi-use Robi Comb that can be used over and over, as often as you like. The Robi Comb can be stored and used repeatedly by the entire family!

http://www.liceguard.com/videos.aspx

That looks like a pretty good system, but nothing is perfect. The main thing is to check kids everyday for the nits, like the LiceGuard video showed. I was told not to pin hair up onto unchecked hair b/c those lice are creeping all over.

I don't like the idea of using any pesticide on my kids head, so this stuff sounds good.

White Vinegar also helps to dissolve the glue which the nits are attached to the hair.

Anna~ the actual lice are light brown. The nits vary from clear to brown to white.

IDK ~ Oh yeah, we vacuumed the cars. Anything and everything that could come into contact with the kid needs to be vacuumed. I have 20 bags of stuff in my sunporch, most will remain bagged until we need it (i.e. comforters). My head itches just thinking about them. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about them. I dreamt about lice the first couple of night. It became an obsession.

Whatever ~ the olive oil method is also natural and smothers all the lice. It makes picking thru easier, too. The key is to use a clarifying shampoo the next morning to get the oil out. Your shampoo sounds good, too. I think I will try it once school starts just as a preventative. I have tea tree oil and put it into our spray bottle and conditioner.

All are welcome for the post... we need to talk about it so we can stop the spread. i don't want anyone to have find them on their kids head. I really appreciate all the new information you all have provided for me.
Edited by Momof4, Jul 30 2009, 05:03 PM.
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Every year we get lice notes that come home from school. It never fails! The problem is if a child has lice in one classroom, everyone in the class gets a note. But what about the other classrooms? The children with lice do use common areas of the school that the other children use. That is why lice continues to be a problem every year. What the school needs to do is to send home notes on a regular basis telling parents not to forget to check their child's head periodically for lice. This procedure would not eliminate lice at school, but could help cut down on the number of cases that are reported each year.
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On The Go
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The other issue that others don't talk about is scabies. Scabies are mites that dig under the skin. My son came home in the spring with a very itchy rash. Unfortunately in treating my son, I also came down with it. It was very uncomfortable especially in the shower and at night. The cream the doctor prescribed was very difficult to obtain. I had to call all over and finally found that some Walgreen stores carried it. It took 4 full days to treat and another 2 weeks for the rash to go away. Scabies is spread from skin to skin contact and can also be picked up from upholstered furniture. We also religiously vacuumed, did a ton of laundry and bagged up things that could not be run through the washer.
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Momof4
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Auntie A
Jul 30 2009, 05:49 PM
Every year we get lice notes that come home from school. It never fails! The problem is if a child has lice in one classroom, everyone in the class gets a note. But what about the other classrooms? The children with lice do use common areas of the school that the other children use. That is why lice continues to be a problem every year. What the school needs to do is to send home notes on a regular basis telling parents not to forget to check their child's head periodically for lice. This procedure would not eliminate lice at school, but could help cut down on the number of cases that are reported each year.
I have not seen a letter from any of the 7 schools my kids have attended that really addresses the problem effectively. I *thought* being notified was enough - it's not.

As I stated, I intend to offer my assistance at my daughter's school this year. Many good ideas, letters, etc. are in the Wayne County Head Lice Manual found on the site I posted in my original message. I disagree with some things they suggest - i.e. I think children with live lice should be sent home from school. But we have to make sure it is stressed that it is not about cleanliness. (Actually, lice favor clean hair free of oils and products.)

I totally agree that the school needs to remind parents to check their kids - maybe even through the online messaging available now to save paper. Sadly, some parents just don't check their kids or don't know the proper way to do it.

Again, the sooner you discover them, the easier it is to control the problem.
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fhsalumni
Advanced Member
[ *  *  * ]
Momof4
Jul 30 2009, 04:57 PM
Whatever
Jul 30 2009, 12:31 PM
http://www.robicomb.com/


Robi Comb - The SAFE Lice Killer

PESTICIDE FREE & REUSABLE

LiceGuard's patented Robi Comb Detects and Destroys Lice on contact! Simply comb through dry hair. When the electronic Robi Comb contacts lice, they get zapped and then die.

Detects Lice - Just comb through dry hair
Destroys Lice on Contact
No Chemicals / Non-Toxic
No Mess, No Gels, No Oils
No Odor or Fragrance
Use Anywhere and Anytime on Dry Hair
Reusable and Economical
Safe and Effective

Many people are wary of using dangerous chemical gels and toxic shampoos that claim to get rid of lice by killing them in seconds, because they all use powerful pesticides! More and more parents and care givers are treating lice using the safe Robi Comb way instead.

In addition, while lice have been reported to be building up a resistance to pesticides used in other lice treatments, lice cannot become resistant to the Robi Comb treatment.

Save Money

The Robi Comb also happens to be a very economical way to kill lice fast. Harsh chemical treatments and toxic shampoos cost between $9 - $15 a treatment. Most shampoos suggest between 2-4 treatments per out-break per person. Compare that to 1 multi-use Robi Comb that can be used over and over, as often as you like. The Robi Comb can be stored and used repeatedly by the entire family!

http://www.liceguard.com/videos.aspx

That looks like a pretty good system, but nothing is perfect. The main thing is to check kids everyday for the nits, like the LiceGuard video showed. I was told not to pin hair up onto unchecked hair b/c those lice are creeping all over.

I don't like the idea of using any pesticide on my kids head, so this stuff sounds good.

White Vinegar also helps to dissolve the glue which the nits are attached to the hair.

Anna~ the actual lice are light brown. The nits vary from clear to brown to white.

IDK ~ Oh yeah, we vacuumed the cars. Anything and everything that could come into contact with the kid needs to be vacuumed. I have 20 bags of stuff in my sunporch, most will remain bagged until we need it (i.e. comforters). My head itches just thinking about them. I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about them. I dreamt about lice the first couple of night. It became an obsession.

Whatever ~ the olive oil method is also natural and smothers all the lice. It makes picking thru easier, too. The key is to use a clarifying shampoo the next morning to get the oil out. Your shampoo sounds good, too. I think I will try it once school starts just as a preventative. I have tea tree oil and put it into our spray bottle and conditioner.

All are welcome for the post... we need to talk about it so we can stop the spread. i don't want anyone to have find them on their kids head. I really appreciate all the new information you all have provided for me.
We all use tea tree shampoo and conditioner once a week as lice seem not to like it. We opted out of the oil to decrease the greasy feeling. I had seat covers in my car at the time and threw them aw!

BTW..our disney lice were huge! Much bigger than the lice we got the second time around.
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Micki
I love teaching.
My girls had it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It freaked me out. I was rubbing my hand through my daughters hair affectionately and I see this brown bug staring at me. And, then it started running! When I finally caught it- it didn't want to die! I called everyone my kids had been in contact with to let them know. It is embarassing to call but the right thing to do.

They are sneaky bugs. They hide and then pop out at you when you think they are totally gone.
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Micki
Aug 2 2009, 09:45 AM
My girls had it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It freaked me out. I was rubbing my hand through my daughters hair affectionately and I see this brown bug staring at me. And, then it started running! When I finally caught it- it didn't want to die! I called everyone my kids had been in contact with to let them know. It is embarassing to call but the right thing to do.

They are sneaky bugs. They hide and then pop out at you when you think they are totally gone.
Micki-How did you get rid of the little critters and did they hang around for long?
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Momof4
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Micki
Aug 2 2009, 09:45 AM
My girls had it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It freaked me out. I was rubbing my hand through my daughters hair affectionately and I see this brown bug staring at me. And, then it started running! When I finally caught it- it didn't want to die! I called everyone my kids had been in contact with to let them know. It is embarassing to call but the right thing to do.

They are sneaky bugs. They hide and then pop out at you when you think they are totally gone.
Micki ~
Good for you for calling all your daughters contacts. I told everyone, too. Its not something to hide b/c the sooner you discover them, the better.

Yesterday was 2 weeks since discovery, but I'm not taking comforters, etc. out of the bags until 2 weeks with no nits on anyone.
Edited by Momof4, Aug 2 2009, 10:44 AM.
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Micki
I love teaching.
I have been using RIT and going through their hair strand by strand, day after day! I also cut their hair really short. My neck and arms are killing me from constantly going through their hair. It is a total pain.
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Micki
Aug 2 2009, 11:13 AM
I have been using RIT and going through their hair strand by strand, day after day! I also cut their hair really short. My neck and arms are killing me from constantly going through their hair. It is a total pain.
I have heard the job is a tedious one to get rid of them. Just be careful with the chemicals-I know that if you use them too much they will no longer work, or worst of all they could affect your child.
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Momof4
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Micki
Aug 2 2009, 11:13 AM
I have been using RIT and going through their hair strand by strand, day after day! I also cut their hair really short. My neck and arms are killing me from constantly going through their hair. It is a total pain.
It takes me 2 hours a day to go thru one daughter's hair. I know what you mean - my neck aches day and night for two weeks, and I still have a few more days to go, just to be safe.

I have also had the daughter who had the bad infestation sleep with olive oil on her hair and a bathing cap - smothers anything that may be alive (just in case b/c now I am paranoid.)
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