A couple months ago, we received a notice from C’s class
stating that lice had taken over the school and our kids' heads there was a
lice infestation. Two kids and one teacher had it. They were very careful to be non-descript
with the note but as soon as we went in the car, C offered up the info that her
best friend XXX had creepy crawly insects in her hair so said friend has to leave
school early. C was like of course I gave her a (long) hug before she left. Super!
The minute we entered the garage, before I even took them
out of their car seats, I googled lice and prevention. Reading that both tea
tree oil and hair products help to avoid
the ‘creepy crawly’ insects, I opted to use a combo of both to double our
success rate. So into the bath they went, both sets of hair scrubbed and washed
with this tea tree cleaner I had bought a year before that was supposed to be
magical for skin, heads, pots and pans…. I don’t make this stuff up, folks (the Dr Brommer’s products) Diluted for
pots and pans but used straight on for lice.
Then the little heads were air dried and combed with gel. Of course, because I am a hypochondriac I threw in
a couple drops of tea tree oil for good measure as well. All at lighting speed as of course the
quicker you do it, the higher the chances of everything working?? And then for
school, her hair was combed into a scraggly ponytail and braided… once again
with tea tree oil/gel combo for the win. Win being no lice.
You see...as a kid, I got lice as a kid and had long hair. Not a fun combo, friends and so much of a pain to rid the house of it. And it
was one thing for C to get it, but what about two year old A? And her little
class? Can you imagine a whole classroom of toddlers being infested because of
us!
But long story short, we avoided the lice but it didn’t
stop C from telling everyone who would listen, "my hair is itchy. I might have
lice. " EVERYONE. Even during our vacation
a few weeks ago. And there were some dirty weird looks.
Crisis averted… for now. We have at least 16 years of school
left1
PS. This story may or may not entirely have a moral—the early bird
(paranoid parent) catches the worm (saves the spread of lice)? Mama should have
been a theatre major? C should be more careful with her words and maybe hugs?
Scary!!! Glad it was just a scare and not the real thing! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteGlad you guys managed to avoid that! I remember my sister had lice when I was younger, and everything had to go in trash bags in the attic for a long time, plus I had to do several shampoos with that awful smelling lice stuff. Such a hassle, but thankfully I didn't actually get it.
ReplyDeleteEeeeeek! I had lice as a kid and my mom is traumatized for life after finding it in my hair. Glad you avoided for now!
ReplyDeleteLice is not nice! I would have done the same thing! I got it in 4th grade from spending the night with a friend from church and it was awful even with my hair cut in a chin length bob. I can't even imagine if my hair had been long! Luckily I have avoided getting it the past 9 years of teaching. They say you usually can't get it from a hug, because lice don't jump but if C had shared a beanbag chair or a hat with her then for sure!
ReplyDelete