Last Spring, my younger daughter had head lice. Very new to me! Never had it as a child or even known anyone to have it! I soon realized that not only was it a horrible process to get rid of but there was a whole new reality to it that stunned me!

The situation with the school and some other parents was really unpleasant. I was incredibly surprised with how my kids were treated - such a stigmatism! But really…who cares who has it let’s just help it not spread!

In the end, it was a fantastic awareness for both the school and I.  I felt the school needed a better protocol (and I believe they realized it as well - after 10 plus more students became …ewww……. infested), which ended up happening.

So, now as a mother who has now been through head lice, I feel the need to pass on some helpful information that may help prevent infestation.

No one wants to go through this so if you hear of someone having it, try this as a preventative measure:

1.    Be on the lookout for head itching (not always present though)
2.    Wash hair with a tea tree oil shampoo or a neem shampoo you can buy at the store
3.    Look and comb through your child’s hair a little slower.  The eggs are really hard to see.  The eggs look like white/opaque sacs on the hair shaft close to the scalp).
4.    If you see eggs, it may be a good idea to use an oil to help get the eggs out and using tweezers really helps.
5.    If there is an outbreak at your child’s school it maybe a good plan to have your child where bandannas in his/her hair

Be well,

www.drheathernd.com