“Mom, the teacher said I have LICE!”
It’s funny how such a simple and innocent statement can make your blood stand on end.
For some reason, head lice seem to be synonymous with back to school, at least for young children. I’ve always wondered why this is so… Where do they hide during the summer? Since they travel head to head, who brought them to the classroom or daycare in the first place?
Wherever they come from and whoever they come from, when your child brings them home, one thing is for sure: they’re a real nuisance! Gross! Great! Nothing good from them! And they take over your house and your free time for a couple of weeks.
The best way to handle these pesky little critters is calmly and methodically. Easier said than done, I know, but it’s the only way to keep your sanity.
There are many ways to get rid of head lice. Personally, I prefer the good old fashioned way of styling them.
Pesticide-based products are harmful to you and your child’s health, and there is a lot of evidence that they are causing lice to become resistant. This simply means that you will need more poison in stronger, higher doses to get rid of those nasty little bugs.
Pesticides have no effect on nits either, only live adult lice and will need to be repeated at least three times to give you peace of mind. This is because nits take about 10 days to hatch and another 10 days to mature and reproduce.
Here are some tips to help you manage head lice naturally and effectively.
1. Keep calm
Yes, those little bugs are a nuisance and you can’t help but feel disgusted by them. And when you see them crawling around your child’s head…well, let’s just say it’s not a pretty sight!
But there is no need to panic, as that will only make things more difficult for you and your child to handle. Take a deep breath and prepare for battle!
Remember that lice do not care about the social economy and are just as likely to plant their nits on the head of a clean and wealthy child as on one belonging to a street child. In fact, lice prefer a clean head as it is easier to attach to the hair shaft. Dirty, greasy hair does not please a louse looking to get its batch of nits.
2. Make it an educational experience
When my five-year-old daughter came home with head lice, she had a lot of questions. So we got on the computer and watched a bunch of videos. She was fascinated and asked many interesting questions.
Not for a second was he scared by those little bugs that were crawling on his head. That made taking the time to style them a much more pleasant experience. While she was combing some live ones, she looked at them and was fascinated.
This is certainly much easier than handling a child who is scared by the whole experience. Remember that your child will follow your example.
3. Get rid of lice!
Put your child in front of an educational program on television and start doing their hair!
There are many methods you can use to numb or suffocate lice and get them out of your hair easily. I personally use a rosemary based natural mouse so it has a nice smell.
Using a special nit comb, methodically comb the hair from one side to the other, combing all the way to the end of the hair and frequently wiping the comb with a clean towel. Reverse the direction and comb again.
Comb again from front to back and finally from the neck to the forehead.
This process will take at least half an hour, depending on the length and thickness of your child’s hair, but you need to be patient and diligent. It is the most effective way to remove nits and lice.
You’ll want to repeat the comb at least two more times, at three-day intervals, as it’s easy to leave a small nit behind. And the last thing you want is another infestation.
Once you’ve done your hair, you can cover your child’s head with coconut or olive oil, put a shower cap on it, and wrap a bandana around it. Leave it overnight and rinse in the morning.
4. Clean linen and personal items
This is the part of lice removal that can be a real nightmare. You feel so invaded and dirty that you want to do a complete general cleaning. Throw out all the beds and pillows. Wash and dry your sheets on high heat. Vacuum the bed, pillows, carpets, etc. Throw all stuffed animals in a plastic bag and keep it sealed for 2 weeks. Phew! I am exhausted just writing this list!
Doing all these chores is important, mainly for your peace of mind, since lice cannot live very long outside of a human head. But don’t get carried away. You should dedicate 10% of your time and energy to cleaning the house and 90% to the move itself.
Lice are enough to make you want to literally pull your hair out, but don’t let them get under your skin.
5. Keep lice out once and for all!
Comb your child’s head every 2-3 days for at least 10 days to make sure all the nits have been removed. This is a time consuming process, but well worth it.
You can also apply rosemary or tea tree oil behind your child’s ears and at the base of the neck, which are favorite areas for lice to attach to their nits. Lice don’t like any of those smells and will stay away. You can also find a rosemary shield or conditioning spray as a protective measure. This is good if your child does not yet have head lice but others in your class do.
For a few weeks, you may also want to tie your child’s hair up in a ponytail to minimize the chance of getting lice from a friend. Make sure she also knows not to share hats, hairbrushes, or other personal items with friends—something girls love to do!
Before claiming victory, check all the heads in your family to make sure everyone is clear.
While there’s really nothing fun about dealing with head lice, you can keep your sanity and get rid of them without resorting to shaving your child’s head! For one reason or another, some children never get head lice. I can’t say we’ve been that lucky. But if you handle things calmly and methodically you’ll get rid of those impostors and get back to life the way you love it!