no-nit policy (head lice)

[Neen]

A co-worker has been having problems with lice and her daughter (it's going on 3 months now). She does the treatment, with the follow up, washes everything, runs the combs/brushes thru the dishwasher and they keep coming back.

The school called here at work on Monday and told her she had to come get her NOW because she had lice. When she got her home, she found a few nits (the egg casings) but no live lice on her head. She did the treatment anyway, washed everything AGAIN. She took her to school today and of course, they found 3 nits on her head and wouldn't let her stay at school. She called here crying and so upset (she said she got in a yelling match with the principal). She was told all the other kids in her class have been checked and no one else has it. I really do feel for her and don't know what to tell her to do. She was going to call her Pedi to see what she suggested.

I have 2 younger boys and at least with them you can cut their hair really short and not have to worry about it as bad.

So, in my opinion, no nit policy's suck. Nits are dead or just the casing of the already hatched egg. If there is no live lice, the child should be able to go back to school and just recheked often to be sure there is no live lice.

Ok, so what is your opinion on no-nit policies? Does your childs school have one?

[jay&erinn]

I think no-nit policies stink and I think a lot of schools are doing away with them because of it.
My neice went through a similar problem too. Unfortunately the treatments were drying out her head so badly that it was making it even easier for the lice to live there. I think my brother eventually contacted a dermatologist for better advice on how to treat the lice/nits. Luckily she hasn't had a problem in about 2 years now.

[Weddings by]

You said that she washes everything. Do you know what she does about stuffed animals?

[Neen]

She's had them bagged up and in her basement since the first time she's had them. The poor kid doesn't have any doll/stuffed animals in her room now.

She's even washed her own bedding and stuff everytime because her DD gets her bed too sometimes.

She's not here at work yet, so I don't know the latest.

[Weddings by]

:( I don't know why they're not going away; that was my only guess. That must be really frustrating for them both.

[Neen]

So I finally had a chance to talk to the co-worker. Apparently the yelling match occured because she was upset that the school nurse was not keeping this situation private. When she went to pick her daughter up from school, in the middle of the office where other parents/students were, the nurse started to talk about it and show her the nits on her daughters head. She was livid. I guess her daughter got sent to the nurse because she scratched her head. Ok, with all the treatments the poor kid has had, of course her head is going to be dry and itchy. When the nurse checked her, she didn't find any live lice, but only nits.

So now the concern is the lack of privacy and talking about it in front of other kids and parents. I know at my sons school, they send a note home to everyone in the school saying there was someone with lice and to please check your child again, but we never know who it is or what grade the child was in. Which is fine with me. I reallly do understand her frustration and feel bad for her. Heck, her DD is only in kindergarten, she's got a long time at this school!

[booksie]

Oh man, that poor little girl. How sad. You just know the other kids are going to make fun of her or at the very least judge her behind her back. She might get invited to fewer sleepovers, etc... that just breaks my heart!

[Txfish]

There's supposed to be some new special kind of hair dryer that acts a rapid treatment for lice -- some kind of particular heat ray that kills all lice and nits, and then can just be combed right out. No shampoos necssary, etc. I heard it briefly on NPR, but can't remember the specifics. Anyway, they were talking about it being the kind of thing they can keep in the nurses' office and treat right there on the spot... what a great way to handle it. Wish they'd get it implemented.

I honestly have always heard that nits were eggs waiting to be hatched, as well as the leftover shells... I'm not so sure that I mind a no-nits policy in that case. I mean the thing about lice is, they recirculate so badly that if one parent doesn't take enough action, here we go again.

All that being said, it sucks that the girl & her parents got outed that way, and I really hope the little girl doesn't have any social fallout. Poor thing.