happy hunting

yesterday i got the dreaded email from the school nurse saying that a child in sebastian's school had been diagnosed with head lice.

i placed my hand at the top of my head when i read this line.

she gently reminded us that children aren't supposed to come to school when they have living, white, legged, accessories adorning their hair.

i ran my hand through my hair

the email continued that lice are very contagious.

i started to scratch.

i then did a delightful dr google search on "prevention lice" and found some homemade proactive chemistry projects you can make in your kitchen: most involve mayonnaise and vinegar. other suggestions included wearing lots of hairspray which explains why no one ever got lice in the 1980's.

then i ran out, caught the 28 bus and purchased some prevent lice shampoo (smells awful, no wonder lice won't go near it) and waited for sebastian to come home.

the child who contracted lice was not in sebastian's class, or grade but i still needed to have a good look. the fact that i was itching my own head more than he was itching his was a good sign, but i still needed to search.

result: CLEAN.

however i am still a little itchy.

Comments

[Grandad Blake aka Dad]

Can't remember a old sure fire cure for head lice so scratch that idea.

Laff,Laff etc.

Love to all...Dad

[knobody]

there is one absolutely 100% effective preventative/treatment for headlice. and shaving cream probably smells a lot better than that shampoo.

good luck.

[Trinie]

A school girl over here won a science prize for discovering that one of the best treatments for head lice is a hair straightener (fries them beautifully)

[joeinvegas]

I don't know about HK, but here it's a very good chance of head lice spread at school within the first few years. Hope it's better there, trying to decontaminate four, plus continually wash everything - oh.

[Auntie Pammie]

Tess,
As I was reading this post I started to scratch and itch at imaginary bugs.. I have had patients with head lice and it sticks with you .. Glad to konw that Sebbie is ok.. xoxox

[Tammy]

This post brings back fond childhood memories - head in my mother's lap as she yanked hairs out of my head under lamp light.

Why she let me wear such long hair, I'll never know. But it sure was pretty. :)

[SouthernBell]

Ugh, I'm not looking forward to this test of mommyhood.

[Karen Ritchey]

Tess,
You have now received the very letter that I had always dreaded too. We had this problem last year at our kids school. It made me crazy and so very itchy. Everything began to look like lice. Thankfully it all passed over and those kids who brought it to school faithfully, did not return this year. Some other school is now getting those dreaded letters. I itch with you, my friend. By the way, my kids didn't get the plague. Thank God!
Hugs,
Karen

[Barb]

Having fought the dreaded beasties at home and in the classroom, some advice:
as a teacher-tell them to keep their hat in the sleeve of their coat, and don't trade hats, combs, dress-up clothes with friends (ie no firefighter helmets at the drama centre).
as a mom-I didn't know that the mayo treatment was a preventative (it smothers the lice, but must stay on for an hour under a shower cap-smells like rotting potato salad!), but apparently lice don't like tea tree oil-so we used a tea tree oil based shampoo. Picking them out was brutal, and we were subsequently 'mis-diagnosed' by a zealous V.P. and in frustration went to the doctor who said that lice are very difficult to find.
Good Luck!