[PrincessJenny]

EWWWW!!!
ok, got that part out of the way! I was reading another post about a baby with lice and the foster family cuting the hair.
I hadnt thought about lice. How common is it there? What do you do while there to "protect" your own hair? also, when going for pick up, how many of your babies had lice?

ugh! Lice...never had to deal with it and HOPE I never have to!

[Niclayson]

I'm a nurse and I am working on my PhD. Interestingly enough my mentor for learning research is doing her research on head lice. She isn't so much interested in the lice as the social stigma that goes with it.

I've learned a lot about lice though. First off, they've been around since ancient times and are hardy, resistant little buggers. They can NOT jump and are spread through head-to-head contact...usually spread by kids playing together or families sleeping together.

The best way to treat them (without shaving the poor kids head which is not necessary) is to use a lice comb. Small sections of hair are combed carefully and the lice and their eggs are carefully removed by hand. The over the counter and prescription "shampoos" are NOT medicine...instead they are indeed pesticides. Many of today's lice have become resistant to the pesticides. There are some natural products available and apparently lice don't like the smell of mint...so many of the products are mint-scented.

If you'd like the name of a company that treats your child safely without chemicals...PM me.

Parents get desparate with persistant head lice as there is such a social stigma. Head lice are attracted to CLEAN heads! So it doesn't mean the foster family is dirty. I've talked to parents who poured gasoline on their kids heads in an attempt to kill the lice!

I'm sure lots of kids in Guatemala have lice...lots of kids here in the US do! But don't worry...they are totally treatable. Bring a lice comb with you. (There is no proven way to protect your hair but some people swear by hairspray).

[JustBarbara]

No lice on DS yet but it's pretty common in this country ... sorry - didn't want to be a downer but ... EWWWW indeed! - Barbara

[Niclayson]

Here is a good site on lice treatment. Remember the comb needs to be METAL. And they are not routinely sold at pharmacys. Guess why? Because they only cost about $10 and one comb can treat a whole family...the pestides cost a whole lot more and so provide a greater profit margin! You can order combs online.

Head Lice Resources You Can Trust - University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension in Lancaster County

[PrincessJenny]

I agree that having lice doesnt necessarily mean they are dirty people! My SISTER's girls of all people got lice! My sister is a TOTAL clean freak!
I just dont want the hassle! I have very thick hair and cant imagine having to deal with it!

besides, it just grosses me out! I do NOT like creepy crawlies!

[Niclayson]

Well, lice don't bother me that much. Now, I get grossed out by scabies much more. Creepy crawlies UNDER your skin are much freakier than those that crawl on your skin! LOL

The place we are doing our research is a private, non-profit company that specializes in treating people with persistent head lice and those with long, thick hair. It takes sometimes 4 hours for a technician to comb out hair like that. It's kinda funny to watch because it's soothing and the biggest problem they have is keeping the kids awake! Imagine someone softly combing your hair for hours. (just forget about the picking of the lice and it isn't that bad!)

[kerriv]

One advantage with our children is at least they're easy to see. I'm very blond and was much blonder as a child. The teachers hated checking me when I was a kid because lice are white. I would venture to say most kids here have them at least once - no evidence for that - just my guess in hearing parents talk about it.

[Niclayson]

Actually, you are partly right! Nits (the eggs) are initially white and would be hard to see on light hair. Nits about to hatch and lice though are brown.

They are usually found on the very top of the head, behind the ears, and at the nape of the neck.

[kagmbg98]

I just took a first aid course and they said to sleep w/ mayonaise on your head. You could take several small jars down and sleep w/ it. The advantage is that it is supposed to make your hair very soft!

[JillnChris]

Sorry to break this to you but if you are going to be a mom you are probably going to deal with lice at least once in your life. I don't think I ever had them as a kid but I remember a few breakouts in my school where everyone had to check for them.
I know it is gross though.

[PrincessJenny]

MAYO??? Really??? never heard of that!

I am a mom to 3 bios! 16 years, 14 years & 8 years....but never have had to deal with that! (knock on wood)

[JillnChris]

Oops! Sorry for assuming.

[waitingforthem]

My 6 month old daughter came home in the month of May, and she had head lice! Sadly, I didn't notice until we had been home for about 3 days-so everyone in my family got treated! I didn't see any headlice in my other two kids, or my husband, but It took about a month to pick out the last little nit!!!!! UGH!! It was a pain in the patootie, but, all is well! It was just so sad to see a 6 month old digging in her head!! She also had a horrible case of craddle cap, and we had to differentiate the two!! YIKES!! It was crazy-but we survived!!

[hesabanana]

My little guy brought home some stowaways in February and he infested me and my other son. Ended up having to shave their heads because they were resistant little buggers.

[poppy]

I have 4 bio kiddos between 12 and 3 years old and never had lice. BUT... the little 5 yo girl we are adopting had head lice when she was turned over to the foster mother. Her hair had been cut short like a boys before she arrived and it took the foster mother 3 good shampoos on the first go around to half way control them. The whole foster family got shampooed and our little girl got retreated several times. By the time we visited about 4 months later she was critter free. The baby never had lice but she did have horrible cradle cap... even down in her eye brows. anyhow, thought I'd share our experience.