Help!!

ShortStuff5

Ok so I'm at SAHM with a 19 month old I also babysit for two girls. I recently was sick so their mom had them staying with a friend so they wouldn't catch my cold few days before school started well they came down with lice so I told her to give them awhile before they came back so they would be treated a few times I just started getting them again after school yesterday was the first day and the first thing the oldest said to me was the nurse found a live lice in my hair today in school it was removed and she wasn't sent home because it was only one and nothing else and nurse said she didn't believe her to be contagious. Now on second day picking them up youngest was itching her head and when I asked said it was little itchy. I can't stand this paranoia and not feeling comfortable in my own home for fear of caughting lice at 30 weeks pregnant. If we caught it it would be hell on me trying to rid them while preparing for another baby etc. She has said whenever I want to be done just tell her and she will sign them up for latchkey after school program I just feel bad doing it so suddenly without a great excuse would feel bad saying cause your girls had lice because she literally has treated them non stop since she's found them and the nurse at school even checks them now just can't stand not feeling comfortable in my own home and feeling like I can't touch anything for fear they are here. What should I do?!

ShortStuff5

I have been taking preventative measures before we got them and washing mine and my daughters hair with tea tree oil shampoos and spraying carpet and furniture car seats etc with tea tree oil and water mixture 

ShortStuff5

Sorry half my story didn't post I feel bad because she has treated them everyday since she found them plus nurse at school is checking them but still want to stop watching them but don't know a nice way of telling her don't just want to be like your girls had lice so I don't want to do it anymore because she has taken every step to stop the lice but just can't stand this feeling like I said of being uncomfortable in my own home in constant worry and stress that we might catch them while pregnant in the lest

kaitlinliz

Ugh I totally feel your pain. Maybe you can just say with you getting further along its getting harder for you and maybe it's time for her to sign them up. Use the pregnancy if you have to! I'd be pissed if I caught it.

We have pink eye going around our clients - they get sent home right away if noticed. But at least 7 of the 30 have gotten it. My eyes have been so itchy today and I'm freaking out that I may have it. I'll kill if I get it cuz I don't think we can take the meds for that! So I definitely understand the feeling of uncertainty and not knowing what to do

hillaryo14

Sorry if this is long, but hope it helps! 
Working with kids, getting lice almost feels inevitable. Just a mention of the word makes my head itch. I've already started looking for signs with my students.
I had nits/eggs once, and I washed all our bedding, including pillows, in hot water, twice, and vacuumed everything I couldn't wash (including the mattress and couch) because I'm just super paranoid like that. I also replaced all my hair bands and sanitized my hair clips and brushes. With any stuffed animals or throw pillows, if you can't wash them, seal/tie them in a bag for a couple weeks.
Unfortunately, in my area, the lice seem to be resistant to the over the counter treatments. (Of course, the family probably isn't treating anything else but the child's hair.) If it continues, they can have their doctor write a prescription for a stronger formula. I have seen home remedies that work, but they seem a little out there: a mayonnaise hair mask-seriously!
Suggest to their mom that there are shampoos and leave-in sprays that help, but I don't know what name or brand they are.

As far as the mom, I agree with @kaitlinliz. You don't need the added stress of dealing with lice on top of your kiddo and LO on the way.

bcashaw

Juat a heada up. Yellow listerine for 15-20 mins in the hair geta rid of lice and kills the eggs too. I like to do a second treatment 3 or 4 days later to make sure no lice snuck in off furniture. Also if you dont have one already i really seriously reccomend a small steam cleaner. I think mine cost like 40$ and literally has changed my life. 

KT&John

My daughter has gotten them a few times when they have gone around the school. She got them while I have been pregnant this time and it was less than desirable. I can understand your stress over possibly having to go through it due to someone else's child. If you do keep watching them I would suggest Lice Free spray to the Mom. We have tried a bunch and that one worked well.

ShortStuff5

Thanks everyone I'll just have to figure out what my next course of action is going to be honestly things have started getting a bit busy around here especially with appts going to every two weeks and weekly here soon plus I need to start preparing for babygirls arrival maybe I can use this as an excuse to be done babysitting here very shortly. Daughter and I are still gonna continue our tea tree oil shampoo regiment and spraying carpet, furniture, car seats etc with tea tree oil in hopes this continues to work they should be about done with their treatments it's been like two weeks at least with her combing through their hair daily and using lice shampoo and tea tree oil plus treating herself and husband as precaution and washing bedding etc like everyday she has been very proactive once she found them as well as the nurse at the school checking them. 

ShortStuff5

Picked the girls up today and asked how the hair treatments are going they said they still have eggs. UGH this is ridiculous so now they are hanging around outside instead of inside around my daughter and I gonna have to super clean again tonight in case anything falls out of their hair and just gonna have to speak up to their mom tonight that I got to much going on and she needs to sign them up for their after school daycare basically. 

ShortStuff5

Well ladies thank you I finally told her to sign them up that I just can't do it anymore which actually comes at a good time things have started to get a little stressful at my husband work and that's bringing some stress home so i just think it's time and she completely understood and was not mad at all and said that I have helped them tremendously for watching them as much as I have she sonly going to be spending like &15-$20 more on the latchkey program and she's already budgeted it in so everything is good. Now just to continue to make sure for a bit that we have not caught the lice which I don't believe we have we've tried to keep our distance and have been using preventative measures.

littlemissc17

@ShortStuff5 I'm glad it all worked out! What a huge relief!