lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

Few days ago we got a letter from school that someone in PK4 has lice (DD is in 3) and to watch out....
I always check DD's hair anyway bc she has eczema and and often scratches her head, especially after she starts sweating a bit, so I've been checking it more frequently since the letter, have found nothing. I checked her hair yesterday and saw/found nothing, not even a flake.
Today she had dance and I saw her scratching her head after the class was over, I didn't think anything of it bc she was really perspired = itchy scalp. I
Well I was just giving her a bath and found a little bug in the water, it looked like a tiny grain bug or something OR a lice ? (or is it louse? whatever.... lol)
I freaked out, finished washing DD's hair, and checked again like 10 times , when it was wet, when it was almost dry and again when it was completely dry. and I have found NOTHING! again, not even a little flake, her scalp is clean, her hair is clean...
So what should I do?
Should I get a lice shampoo and wash her air with it just in case? Which one should I get ro where do I even buy it?
And should I keep her home tomorrow? Should I tell the teacher?
Sorry if I sound crazy, but I'm a bit freaked out

Thanks for reading and any advice you can give.

Message edited 3/9/2011 8:07:11 PM.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

Have her checked by either the school nurse or pediatrician. They will be able to tell you if you have anything.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

Have the nurse check it out- they are trained to identify it....

and i just saw an ad in parenting magazine.... there is a shampoo for the PREVENTION of lice if you have received notice its in the school or such.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

Message edited 3/9/2011 8:52:56 PM.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

They make a tea tree oil shampoo and conditioner that you can get at a health food store. I used to use this when the students in my class would get nits and lice. Our school's policy was that if it wasn't crawling they didn't have to go home. Just the thought of it would make me itch so the shampoo calmed some of my worries.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

Call the school nurse......

My children have had lice in the past and I always ask the nurse to check them out when they return to school to make sure that the little buggers are gone...

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

If you saw a bug, I'd call the ped & buy RIT. Boil the sheets, bag the stuffed animals & start treating as if she & the rest of your family has it. My theory is the eggs that were laid on the hair would need time to develop more to be large enough to see.

My sister's family had a huge outbreak. She has a very dry scalp & the entire family has extremely thick hair. She had my mom check her hair the minute she felt itchy. By the time they saw a bug on her daughter, it was so bad they spent thousands of dollars to get rid of it. It only takes one louse to lay seven eggs a day. They hatch in 7 days. It takes only one egg to hatch before you're reinfested.

Without having seen a bug, we use Fairy Tales Shampoo & Conditioner during lice outbreaks.

A few things to keep in mind - lice go to clean hair so skipping a shower is'nt the worse thing. Put girls hair in pony tails. Repeat a thousand times no sharing hats, brushes, combs.

No stuffed animals to school.

Message edited 3/10/2011 6:15:20 AM.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

I had lice so many times it was crazy. It only really stopped when I got old enough my scalp started to flake out. They just can't seem to survive on my scalp.

I agree with what everyone else is saying. But I think using the shampoo and stuff isn't a bad idea.

Mostly though don't freak out too much, it happens. Don't let her feel bad about it or dirty. I got it once from staying at friends house and after that, altho I never shared a brush, hat, scarf or pillow again, I still got them 3-4 times. My step mother made me feel so dirty and embarrassed. She'd sit me outside our apt so everyone could see and pull out the eggs and make me pop them on a mirror. Ugh I hate that woman so much. But she definitely taught me how to be a better mom, just not be her.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

I would wash your dd's hair with the special lice shampoo anyway. Even if you or the nurse's cannot see it. My dd was over a friends house once and the child had lice we found out that night and the next day I washed her hair anyway even though I couldn't see anything, well a few days later I started itching my head like crazy and when I had my sister check my hair, She found several little bugs. It was disgusting. But since my dd slept in my bed at the time and laid all over my pillows she must have had some even though I didn't see any.
I would rather be safe than sorry.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

Posted by Xelindrya



Mostly though don't freak out too much, it happens. Don't let her feel bad about it or dirty.
My step mother made me feel so dirty and embarrassed. She'd sit me outside our apt so everyone could see and pull out the eggs and make me pop them on a mirror. Ugh I hate that woman so much. But she definitely taught me how to be a better mom, just not be her.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

T~ this is very common for school children...I can't even remember how many times I had lice and my mother sat there combing through my hair and then treating the nits with the shampoo. They were gone very quickly each time but unfortunately they jump from person to person so they are very easy to catch. My advice is to have her lay down and comb through her hair very carefully and try to get the actual lice and then treat it with the RIT shampoo OR use the shampoo first and then comb through her hair. I would just wash and dry all sheets, towels and clothes that she had contact with during the past week or so. The infestation has to be really bad in order for the lice to start laying eggs in clothing so don't worry about that but you want to be cautious and make sure you wash and dry everything very good.

Everything will work out, its just annoying...just like bed bugs.

Re: lice-anyone have experience ? and WWYD?

Def have her checked out.

Another tip that I learned is to use an olive oil shampoo or coconut shampoo on your kids.. the lice HATE it and won't go near their little heads because of it.

I got that tip from another mom when my kids were in camp and (knock on wood) I've never had that problem.