Things you Do Not have to do if your child has lice
People, I have seen and heard it ALL when it comes to lice. I will never forget the mom who called me saying that she was ready to shave her daughters head with a razor because they couldn’t get rid of her lice. I could hear the sweet 1st grader begging in the background for her mom to let her keep her hair. I. WAS. HORRIFIED. I also remember the lady told me she had already posted an announcement to their school Facebook site that her daughter had lice, “for all the other parents so they could check their kids”. Again, HORRIFIED. Finally, there was the mom who said they had been trying to get rid of it for weeks and her kids had each been given one blanket, one pillow and asked to sleep on the floor, “so their mattress didn’t get infested.” Repeat after me, “Lice live on your head. Not your carpet, your bed, or your couch. You do not have to shave anyone’s hair to get rid of it. I have successfully eliminated lice on people with super thick hair down to their rear end. Not my favorite type of hair to treat, but our method works. EVERY TIME!
This just in… a local private school literally shut down a school retreat last week and called parents to come pick up their middle school kids at midnight! Two .Hours. From Home. All this because of a confirmed case of lice. 82 kids missed out on a whole day of their retreat over the misconception that all the children were in danger because one of their friends had lice. (HOW AWFUL for this poor kid!) I talked to 4 different parents who were livid and so upset for the kids. If that principal had called me and asked for advice, here is what I would have told him. “Let’s put this into perspective. Lice do not cause diseases. This is not the measles or smallpox. If someone has live lice in their head, the only way other kids can contract it is to touch their hair to hers. Put her hair in braids and allow her to complete the camp (and for goodness sakes, keep it confidential!). Kids are literally exposed to lice ALL THE TIME! This is not a medical emergency. Myself and my daughter (who is now 9) have been exposed on a daily basis to LOTS of lice for the past 5 years. We do nothing special to her hair or mine. She has literally never gotten it. She plays with the kids who come to our treatment center, sits on the floor within a foot of where I treat, and helps me carry all the sheets and capes home to our washer, but we don’t let our hair touch theirs. If you could get it by being near it, she and I would have it ALL THE TIME. Please, DO NOT create mass panic and embarrassment for any infected children. This is NOT an emergency.”
Lice is gross. I get it. It’s annoying. It messes with your brain and gives you the heebee jeebees. BUT, it’s transmitted through head to head contact. Don’t touch heads with infected people and get on with your life!
