Going forward after lice

[jgenie]

Ok - so the lice are gone and we're moving on. We went to the movies today and I couldn't put my head against the seat because all I could think about was getting lice. I then started thinking about airplane seats, then barber shop and hair salon brushes, and the list goes on. So, if you or your kids have had lice, what do you do going forward? We bought the spray to spray on hair before school. I have the combs and such. How often do you check your DC? Best estimate is that DS1 had lice for the between 4 and 6 weeks. I can't believe it went on that long without me having a clue. DC bathe on their own and I just spray the top of their hair on days they wake up with it sticking up. They handle everything else themselves now. I know I need to let it go but I'm feeling like such a failure that we had it so long and I was clueless. TIA

[twowhat?]

Ok - so the lice are gone and we're moving on. We went to the movies today and I couldn't put my head against the seat because all I could think about was getting lice. I then started thinking about airplane seats, then barber shop and hair salon brushes, and the list goes on. So, if you or your kids have had lice, what do you do going forward? We bought the spray to spray on hair before school. I have the combs and such. How often do you check your DC? Best estimate is that DS1 had lice for the between 4 and 6 weeks. I can't believe it went on that long without me having a clue. DC bathe on their own and I just spray the top of their hair on days they wake up with it sticking up. They handle everything else themselves now. I know I need to let it go but I'm feeling like such a failure that we had it so long and I was clueless. TIA

Nothing. Lice is transmitted by close contact - think kids putting their heads together as they huddle over a small table at school. I remind my kids to not touch heads with other kids. As for airplane seats, etc - it's really, really, REALLY unlikely to get lice that way. Lice have to stay on a warm scalp to survive, and they are masters at clinging onto hairs in order to stay close to the scalp...they don't want to leave. If it were that easy to get lice, adults would have lice all the time! The reason it's so common with kids is because of the whole head-to-head thing that happens at daycares, preschools, early elementary. I never noticed it until our ped pointed it out - then it was like EVERY time I picked up the kids at daycare, I'd notice kids touching heads! And my kids have black hair which makes it really easy to spot dead nits (the nit shells are white).

As for how often to check kids - I only check if they're going to do something where they are gonna get their heads checked. Like before Girl Scout camp. I checked their scalps very carefully then, because I knew they'd get checked upon checking in for camp!

[ncat]

Ok - so the lice are gone and we're moving on. We went to the movies today and I couldn't put my head against the seat because all I could think about was getting lice. I then started thinking about airplane seats, then barber shop and hair salon brushes, and the list goes on. So, if you or your kids have had lice, what do you do going forward? We bought the spray to spray on hair before school. I have the combs and such. How often do you check your DC? Best estimate is that DS1 had lice for the between 4 and 6 weeks. I can't believe it went on that long without me having a clue. DC bathe on their own and I just spray the top of their hair on days they wake up with it sticking up. They handle everything else themselves now. I know I need to let it go but I'm feeling like such a failure that we had it so long and I was clueless. TIA

DD had a terrible infestation the summer before 3rd grade. After we got it under control, I tried to comb her weekly much of the next school year. On one or two occasions I caught a few adult lice, but did not find any nits, so I think I may have prevented something. When DD was infested, we gave DS1 a buzz cut for summer, washed his bedding, and we were good.

Good luck! The lice infestation was one of the most traumatic (for me) kid ailment I have been through with any of my three. It took months for me to get rid of the creepy crawly feeling on my own head.

[citymama]

DD2s preschool had an infestation when she was around 3. I started to put her long hair in tight braids that I rolled up top of her head after that. To this day she wears braids daily (no longer German style, more Pippi Longstocking!). No open hair ever - DD1 has a short blunt haircut that makes me nervous but it's impossible to braid. I check their scalps periodically and always do comb throughs with the Terminator comb if I hear about lice at school or suspect something. It's absolutely traumatic and I don't blame you for being over cautious moving forward.

[JustMe]

I hear you! Dd used to be (and I hope that remains used to be) like Disney Land for lice. She has long straight thick hair and I truly believe that they like some people/hair more than others. I never got lice as a child (even sitting next to others who did) and only got it once in all of the times she had it. That one time, I had laid in bed with her many times before we knew she had it, and my case was extremely mild while she was infested. Hope that remains true for me and I never get it as well.

I think the best advice I ever got was to concentrate on the child's head, not furniture, carpet, etc. Also, don't stop checking too soon. I learned to keep checking thoroughly for a month after the last sign of lice. That may have been overkill, but it worked. I don't remember how often I checked during those times. I always used Fairy Tales lice repellent spray until a couple of years ago. I think I even added a couple of extra drops to it. Some have not found it to be effective, but I never had a problem once we started using it (I don't think it will completely prevent lice, but definitely makes a person less of their favorite thing to go through).

Good luck! It does get better as they get older as the close contact with so many kids reduces.