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Lice...

TheBubTheBub member
in Parenting
DS was itching the other day. I thought it was allergies. Today I found a louse (and some eggs) in his hair and one in DD's. DH went to the store and bought two kits. It was late, so I put everyone to bed and will start the cleaning in the morning.

My plan:
-Everyone stays home tomorrow.
-Strip all beds down to the mattress and wash in hot water.
-Shampoo and comb everyone.
-Spray mattresses, couches, backpacks, car seats with the stuff that came with the kit.

Am I forgetting anything? I've never done this before. Has anyone been successful in getting rid of them on the first try?

I'm so sad that DD will miss her practice play day for preschool tomorrow.

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Re: Lice...

  • NotSharknadoNotSharknado member
    Don't forget to notify friends/family/schools.
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  • TheBubTheBub member
    I never had it as a kid, and five days into Kindergarten, here we are.

    Since I never had it, I am sort of embarrassed about it. YES, I know there is nothing to be embarrassed about, but I can't help it.

    I emailed his teacher, but haven't heard back yet. How long do I need to keep him away from school. I have read conflicting things online. Some stuff says for them to not miss school at all. That once one kid has it, a lot more probably already do. I would at least use the shampoo on him before sending him if he was going to go tomorrow.

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  • MamatoA2010MamatoA2010 member
    DC found a nit on DD's head last fall and thankfully after washing all bedding, clothing and taking her to a special place that does nothing but treat head lice she was fine and it didn't spread to me or her dad. You may want to let the school know. You have all my sympathies.. those little fuckers are everywhere.
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  • Mei&MeiMei&Mei member
    edited August 2014
    I don't think the lice can live more than a day or so on stuffed animals and brushes and whatnot. They need a host. The biggest problem is that people kill the lice, do the bedding /stuffed animal /brush thing, but can't /don't get rid of the eggs. Then, two weeks later you get reinfected because there are new lice and new nits. Repeat ad nauseum, every two weeks, as new lice hatch. 

     I'd try the kit / the mayonnaise for everyone in the home. Try to comb out all nits. Then, inspect the hair twice daily for three weeks. The second you see a louse, repeat the kit / mayonnaise, before that louse can lay eggs. Hopefully you won't see any more after that, but continue with daily. Inspection. In the meantime, school, should be fine.

     Good luck! Lice are just terrible to deal with.
    Oscar Leopold 4/2009
    transluscence
    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
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  • TheBubTheBub member
    @mcbenny‌ Yeah, but I didn't want to treat them and then put them into an unwashed bed. This all started at 7:30 at night. I will treat first thing this morning and if his teacher says that he is good to come to school, then I will take him. I hate for him to miss a day already.

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  • RondackHikerRondackHiker member
    I see stuffed animals have already been covered. My sister got it from a friend whose parents did her hair and bedding and not the large pile of stuffed animals in her room.

    My sister and her friend rolled around in the stuffed animals and my sister got it and my friend was reinfected.


    image image
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  • TheBubTheBub member
    She called. She said that she didn't notice anyone itching, not even DS. She said that it could have also come from the bus or the bus line. She is going to have the nurse come check the kids and get back to me regarding when he can come back to school.

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  • Bythebeach09Bythebeach09 member
    I have heard that instead of bagging stuffed animals and other plush items (pillows, blankets, throw rugs, mats, soft toys, etc) you can just put them in the dryer on high heat. I would put anything that can go in the dryer, in the dryer. It's not the washing but the heat that kills the eggs and lice. My nieces get it a couple times a year and she swears by the dryer. She also takes them to a lice removal shop for their hair. Good luck.
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  • tattooedtragedytattooedtragedy member
    I don't know if it had been mentioned but I put tea tree oil in DDs detangeling spray as a preventative measure. You could also add to shampoo or conditioners.
    I see PPs have covered stuffed also nim also and brushes. Good luck OP.

    ~*~*~You're Such A Pretty Melody, I'm Just Another Tattooed Tragedy~*~*~
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  • TheBubTheBub member
    @Bythebeach09‌ Maybe I will do the dryer and bag the stuffed animals. Just to be sure.

    DS is 5. I was unsure of how to explain this to him. I was very matter of fact about it and he was fine with it. He asked if it was like flees. I said that it is just like flees, but for people.

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  • Mei&MeiMei&Mei member
    The lice can't live outside of a host for more than like a day. People who get reinfected usually get that way because they didn't clear out all the nits.


     From the CDC: 

    "When treating head lice, supplemental measures can be combined with recommended medicine (pharmacologic treatment); however, such additional (non-pharmacologic) measures generally are not required to eliminate a head lice infestation


    Supplemental Measures: 

    Head lice do not survive long if they fall off a person and cannot feed. You don't need to spend a lot of time or money on housecleaning activities. Follow these steps to help avoid re–infestation by lice that have recently fallen off the hair or crawled onto clothing or furniture.

     Machine wash and dry clothing, bed linens, and other items that the infested person wore or used during the 2 days before treatment using the hot water (130°F) laundry cycle and the high heat drying cycle. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry–cleaned 

    OR sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks. 

    Soak combs and brushes in hot water (at least 130°F) for 5–10 minutes.

     Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay. 

    However, the risk of getting infested by a louse that has fallen onto a rug or carpet or furniture is very small. Head lice survive less than 1–2 days if they fall off a person and cannot feed; nits cannot hatch and usually die within a week if they are not kept at the same temperature as that found close to the human scalp. Spending much time and money on housecleaning activities is not necessary to avoid reinfestation by lice or nits that may have fallen off the head or crawled onto furniture or clothing. Do not use fumigant sprays; they can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin."


    Just in case that's helpful. :) 
    Oscar Leopold 4/2009
    transluscence
    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
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  • TheBubTheBub member
    @Mei&Mei‌ Thank you! That was very hopeful! I just spent 1.5 hours picking DS. I finally had to stop to give us a break. We were both crying. I found about 20 bugs and a bunch of nits.

    DD has a better situation. I saw one bug on her but it got away. It's in there somewhere. I saw like two nits. She's next.

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  • Mei&MeiMei&Mei member
    Oh, you poor thing. I definitely don't envy you! Hopefully you'll all be rid of them soon.
    Oscar Leopold 4/2009
    transluscence
    Lilypie Pregnancy tickers
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  • TheBubTheBub member
    edited August 2014
    Dup!

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  • suburbanstepmomsuburbanstepmom member
    katnhiding said:

    https://www.bitchinsisters.com/tag/head-lice/
    ^ this cracked me up so bad... oh man

    My Blog | My Chart 

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