You know what I'm going to talk about don't you? Yep. Those little critters. Head lice. Grim aren't they? and still somewhat of a taboo I've found.
Nobody. Talks. About. Nits.
Instead, schools send home round-robin letters informing you that "there has been a case of head lice in your class, yet again". Everybody immediately starts discretely scratching and eying each other up suspiciously but nobody actually owns up to it being their child with the infestation.
Despite the fact that I check my children's hair regularly and have found no trace of the little blighters I still get knee-knockingly nervous when I go to the hairdressers, either for myself or with my children. I'm petrified that they'll be a little louse hiding in there and we'll be frog-marched out of the hairdressers, put in stocks in the village and pelted with rotten tomatoes. I'm taking my daughter to the hairdressers this week and The Fear has set in.
So far (touch-wood) we've remained unscathed from the recent visitors, however I'm sure our time will come as approximately one in 10 primary school children have head lice at any one time. We have experienced them before when my daughter was in nursery and it wasn't the most pleasant experience of my life, trying to get a two year old to sit still for constant wet-combing. In fact, I did what any self-respecting girl would do - I called my mother. Yes, mummy came rushing over to deal with it for me (she's one of those weird types that gets a strange sense of satisfaction from nit-picking, literally).
The biggest part of the battle you face with clearing yourself and your family of head lice is re-infestation. Sadly, I think there are many people out there who are just not well-informed and don't take the necessary steps needed. Families need to integrate checking for head lice into their personal hygiene routine, once a week is fine, but I'm afraid that many people just don't bother.
I've recently been sent some information by Hedrin, who have a range of head lice treatments - I can wholeheartedly recommend their products as I used their products when we had the lice (I'm SO scratching right now!) and I found them very successful. As such, I always have a bottle in the bathroom now for lice-emergencies! They're also shortly launching a new product called Treat & Go which is water-based, pesticide-free and most importantly, clinically proven. If you need refreshing on how to do battle with our little friends, here are some top tips...
Hope you find that info useful and that you're not all paranoid and excessively scratching your noggin right now. Unlike me. If you want any more information and further tips, you can check out http://www.onceaweektakeapeek.com and also download a parents guide. Alternatively, if you have a burning question about head lice, get in touch and I'll do my best to get the answer for you!
Thank to Hedrin for providing me with this information. This is not a sponsored post, it's purely for mine, and yours, erm pleasure!
Happy nit-picking, and do wish me luck for Fridays haircut...send me nit-fee vibes please!
love & kisses
Mrs M x
Thank to Hedrin for providing me with this information. This is not a sponsored post, it's purely for mine, and yours, erm pleasure!
Happy nit-picking, and do wish me luck for Fridays haircut...send me nit-fee vibes please!
love & kisses
Mrs M x
Thankfully we are passed the headlice stage, but remember an awful couple of months when Amy was about 7 and as fast as we treated it, we kept getting them back. When I say we, I mean me and Amy! The boys never caught them. At the time, chemicals were the preferred method and I was treated so many times, I had a flare up of eczema in my scalp! Very unpleasant!
ReplyDeleteMy saviour was a battery operated electric nit comb, which basically zapped them! Very satisfying when you heard the sizzle noise!
And yes, I am scratching, as I type!!
I've found, with my son, that simply using a good quality hair conditioner seems to keep the little monsters at bay. I don't know if it's because they can't stick to the hair shaft because it's too slippery, or what the science is, but I do know it works! :)
ReplyDeleteOh dear, just the mere mention of head lice has sent me into a cold sweat.
ReplyDeleteI had them CONSTANTLY when I was in Primary school, sadly, because the girl sat next to me was never treated for them, so naturally, I'd come home with nits every.single.day.
I am so glad that the formulations have moved on since the 80's/90's -
I remember running around the house from the chemical smell eminating from my head (it was supposed to smell of apple - who were they trying to kid)?
Thankfully, only having one step-son, we haven't had to deal with the dreaded lice yet, (he is 9, so we may be closer to no-nit-risk) but when I have my own children, I think I will be calling on the services of my Mum when nits come to town. It is pretty much inevitable isn't it...
Afterall, she has had much practice! - I'll be silently rocking in a corner somewhere.
Sending good little nit-free vibes your way.... xxx
The best thing I have ever found is the Nitty Gritty comb. No chemicals or smelly lotions. A good comb through, at the conditioner stage of washing your or your little one's hair, will whip out any beasties and most of their eggs too.Wash and comb every three days if nits present and you will be rid of them rapidly.
ReplyDelete