I found head lice nits on my childrens hair

kristinm · Dec 9th, 2007, 03:42

Yes - kerosene was the treatment of choice when I was growing up in the Australian bush - many families would line all the kids up once a month and kerosene them. I almost did it once when I was at my wits (nits?) end.. but I just couldn't!

kristinm · Dec 9th, 2007, 03:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Yikes! I think the shampoos will do the trick!

But I agree with emphasising the cleaning of towels, pillow cases, sheets etc on the same day

Sandy, how are you getting on?

All the information we're getting here says that the lice can only live off the hair shaft for about an hour - so cleaning all the bedding should not really be necessary. It feels nice to have everything clean on the same day, but apparently it doesn't actually help. The reinfection is either because there are some eggs still hatching (which is why you need to comb and nitpick every day to get the newly hatched lice before they lay more eggs) - or from some other family member or school buddy. Tie that hair back tightly.... and, apparently they are more attracted to clean shiny hair, if you can bear to let your kids hair get unwashed for a while....

Ok - here's a link http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/headlice/treatment/ from headlice central - Australia.... it really is a huge problem in the schools here as you can see from the effort the Government and schools have put into all this information - its pretty comprehensive.

the opoponax · Dec 9th, 2007, 06:14

The spraying down the bed frame and putting mattresses in the sun is for bed bugs, not lice.

As kristinm says, lice can't survive away from a human head for more than an hour or so.

In my opinion, the thing to do would be to give everyone whichever treatment, then go on some sort of outing away from the house (and preferably sans hats and hair ribbons!) for a few hours right after.

wanderingstars · Dec 9th, 2007, 06:22

You can also use Cetaphil (which is a face cleansing solution). You completely cover your head with it, every strand of hair and then comb out any excess. Then blow it dry and leave it on for 8 hours. It is a bit of a pain to dry, it takes awhile. Also throw the pillows and toys in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes. As other people have mentioned, you must be vigilant and do everyone and really the "nit picking" by hand works the best.

The first year you live anywhere is difficult, it takes time to adjust to a new culture and a new environment and for you, a new climate as well. I have found living in tropical countries more trying because of the heat and humidity and bugs. We take probiotics, (Darolac) and have found that really helps our intestines stay healthy.

There are a lot of great suggestions on this post - so remember to take care of yourself as well.

Nick-H · Dec 9th, 2007, 10:37

We don't have driers down here in Chennai: there is only a couple of weeks a year when the sun doesn't dry everything in an hour or two!

If you use one of the better chemical shampoos (whoa! nearly said 'fertilisers'!) then it kills the nits as well, and there is no need for the great nit-combing ritual.

Nit-picking seems to be part of social/family life and is often to be seen, on the poorer streets, among people sitting outside their houses.

It used to be said that if everyone in the world washed their hair every day for a week, head lice would be eliminated.

Not that I'm suggesting making yet another species extinct, of course

.

Although... If it was mosquitoes...

Now they give me some really bad days here sometimes

backpakker · Dec 9th, 2007, 10:54

One simple solution would be to have a nice short hair cut ..i did that for a while when I was a kid and all the nit picking happenned and the hair grew long again

Mosquitoes did you say- oops, Ive just landed in Chennai, must pick up one of those creams

brownboy66 · Dec 9th, 2007, 11:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandytsang

bad luck for us again that I was 3 hours this morning looking for that shampoo, but seem they don't even know what is head louse or head lice or nits, and of course I didn't find the nit comb. My driver whole family have chickenpox since last Saturday, and he is now at home. I hope we don't get the chickenpox in the Christmas.

oh goodness! You are having a hard time of it aren't you!

I wont offer any advice on the head lice saga as there has been plenty of good advice already given. Our 3 have all had head lice on arrival here in Delhi, but thankfully we brought a large pack of headlice treatment from home (foul smelling yellow stuff) which has done the trick - but no doubt they will pick it up again as children do.

Re the illnesses - we've all had the initial bouts for stomach problems (accept our 4 year old who appears to be indestructible) - but everyone seems to have adjusted now. We are currently going through the rounds of winter colds, etc - with myself being the last in the family to recover.

Sounds like Sandy you need to plan some breaks into your routine - both for yourself and the family. Guess its probably the same in any city in any country - but if you're a typical family going back and forth daily to schools, work, social stuff, etc - it eats up a lot of energy. So here's my suggestion for what its worth:

1) Factor in regular break for you and your husband without the kids (maybe get out of town for a couple of days - or at least go out to town just by yourselves). Might sound harsh but every relationship needs a bit of maintenance some time - plus a bit of rest for the parents helps the kids as well.
2) Plan a regular break out of the city for the family. With most city living - you never realise how much it takes out of you until you get beyound the city limits into a quieter/ more gentle pace of life. At the very least a change of scene and routine will be good.
3) treat yourself. As has been mentioned a spa treatment, shopping ,etc - if you're run down then everything is going to be harder, and it will be hard for the kids as well.

Anyway - a few suggestions. Hope it improves soon.

mary10 · Dec 9th, 2007, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by wonderwomanusa

I have had head lice in India and they are more of an inconvenience than anything else. At the chemists, they gave me some sort of heavy oil treatment for this ... something I had to comb through my hair and leave on for a couple of hours, then shampoo out. Besides killing the bugs, it was a very good oil treatment for my hair. Ah, but it was many years ago and maybe those chemicals are now banned ... ask the chemist what he recommends.

I took a nighttrain to Kerala once and slept on the upper berth without covering (I usually clean the space and use something underneath, be it a newspaper, cloth or whatever - but this time I had nothing with me). When I woke up my scalp 'felt funny'. Soon I discovered I had head lice. But no biggie: I bought the headlice shampoo available in almost all stores, left it in for a few minutes before washing it out. It works pretty good. I combed my hair repeatedly with a comb over a white bedsheet twice a day to get rid of as many lice as possible. Within days I had no more headlice.

the opoponax · Dec 9th, 2007, 22:38

Quote:

With most city living - you never realise how much it takes out of you until you get beyound the city limits into a quieter/ more gentle pace of life.

YES! Best advice ever, and works worldwide.

I try to get out of the city for at least a weekend twice a year. In fact, I am anticipating this as we speak -- New York has me so at my wit's end that I'm wondering if I'm really going to be able to handle Bombay! I'm really glad Christmas is coming and I'm getting out of Dodge.

Nick-H · Dec 9th, 2007, 22:42

Dodge? What, the place with the cowboys playing poker, and the shootouts on the street between the sheriff and the bandits?

capt_mahajan · Dec 9th, 2007, 22:45

And John Wayne walking sideways

the opoponax · Dec 9th, 2007, 22:53

Seriously, just trying to get a bagel and pick up my laundry here in the neighborhood feels almost as wooly as all that... And don't even get me STARTED on the idiots in my building, or my commute, or the weather or...

Nick-H · Dec 9th, 2007, 22:54

Whoa! Nothing like a nice bit of racial and hysterical stereotyping!

I'm going into the kitchen to make tea.

But I'm going to be singing, "Oh, don't forsake me oh my darling....".

tasuray · Dec 9th, 2007, 23:09

Use 'Medicar'shampoo cautiously i.e. it should not be entered into the eyes.Nothing will happen to the children if it is used.This is the easiest way to get rid of head lice.

the opoponax · Dec 9th, 2007, 23:10

I'm sorry, racial stereotyping say wha????

I'm just talking about how crazy city life can get... Your upstairs neighbors hog the elevator for hours bringing in all the Christmas decorations, the woman at the laundry dropoff tries to fleece you, the guys at the bagel shop mess up your order 3 times in 10 minutes, it takes 2 hours to get home from work due to a stalled train, etc etc.

Dec 9th, 2007, 10:37	#35
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 28,426	We don't have driers down here in Chennai: there is only a couple of weeks a year when the sun doesn't dry everything in an hour or two! If you use one of the better chemical shampoos (whoa! nearly said 'fertilisers'!) then it kills the nits as well, and there is no need for the great nit-combing ritual. Nit-picking seems to be part of social/family life and is often to be seen, on the poorer streets, among people sitting outside their houses. It used to be said that if everyone in the world washed their hair every day for a week, head lice would be eliminated. Not that I'm suggesting making yet another species extinct, of course . Although... If it was mosquitoes... Now they give me some really bad days here sometimes __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Dec 9th, 2007, 10:54	#36
backpakker Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 164	One simple solution would be to have a nice short hair cut ..i did that for a while when I was a kid and all the nit picking happenned and the hair grew long again Mosquitoes did you say- oops, Ive just landed in Chennai, must pick up one of those creams __________________ www.backpakker.blogspot.com

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Dec 9th, 2007, 03:42	#31
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,547	Yes - kerosene was the treatment of choice when I was growing up in the Australian bush - many families would line all the kids up once a month and kerosene them. I almost did it once when I was at my wits (nits?) end.. but I just couldn't!

Dec 9th, 2007, 06:14	#33
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,052	The spraying down the bed frame and putting mattresses in the sun is for bed bugs, not lice. As kristinm says, lice can't survive away from a human head for more than an hour or so. In my opinion, the thing to do would be to give everyone whichever treatment, then go on some sort of outing away from the house (and preferably sans hats and hair ribbons!) for a few hours right after.

Dec 9th, 2007, 06:22	#34
wanderingstars Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 18	You can also use Cetaphil (which is a face cleansing solution). You completely cover your head with it, every strand of hair and then comb out any excess. Then blow it dry and leave it on for 8 hours. It is a bit of a pain to dry, it takes awhile. Also throw the pillows and toys in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes. As other people have mentioned, you must be vigilant and do everyone and really the "nit picking" by hand works the best. The first year you live anywhere is difficult, it takes time to adjust to a new culture and a new environment and for you, a new climate as well. I have found living in tropical countries more trying because of the heat and humidity and bugs. We take probiotics, (Darolac) and have found that really helps our intestines stay healthy. There are a lot of great suggestions on this post - so remember to take care of yourself as well.

Dec 9th, 2007, 22:42	#40
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 28,426	Dodge? What, the place with the cowboys playing poker, and the shootouts on the street between the sheriff and the bandits?

Dec 9th, 2007, 22:45	#41
capt_mahajan Dis member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,875	And John Wayne walking sideways

Dec 9th, 2007, 22:53	#42
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,052	Seriously, just trying to get a bagel and pick up my laundry here in the neighborhood feels almost as wooly as all that... And don't even get me STARTED on the idiots in my building, or my commute, or the weather or...

Dec 9th, 2007, 22:54	#43
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 28,426	Whoa! Nothing like a nice bit of racial and hysterical stereotyping! I'm going into the kitchen to make tea. But I'm going to be singing, "Oh, don't forsake me oh my darling....".

Dec 9th, 2007, 23:09	#44
tasuray Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kolkata Posts: 312	Use 'Medicar'shampoo cautiously i.e. it should not be entered into the eyes.Nothing will happen to the children if it is used.This is the easiest way to get rid of head lice.

Dec 9th, 2007, 23:10	#45
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,052	I'm sorry, racial stereotyping say wha???? I'm just talking about how crazy city life can get... Your upstairs neighbors hog the elevator for hours bringing in all the Christmas decorations, the woman at the laundry dropoff tries to fleece you, the guys at the bagel shop mess up your order 3 times in 10 minutes, it takes 2 hours to get home from work due to a stalled train, etc etc.

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