Well...there is always something happening in life isn't there?
Friday my Kindergartner came home with head lice. I have never had lice, my Hubby has never had lice. We have only heard about them and knew next to nothing about them. Earlier his summer I knew they were going around and at Fair time. So when school started I took away my kiddos ball cap and added a drop of tea tree oil in his shampoo. Then I hadn't heard anything more and assumed the outbreak was over. I wasn't even checking. He has reached that age were he wants more privacy and doesn't want Mom to help with bathing. So I set water temps, quiz him down through the door to make sure he scrubbed everywhere and that's about it. If I feel I need to I occasionally make him let me shampoo his hair because its super thick and I don't think he always actually washes it.
Anyway, Friday I noticed him scratching his head and he said it was itchy. I put him through the shower and did a good scrub on his hair, thinking that was the issue. Then I remembered I overheard other moms on the playground saying they couldn't wait for winter because it means no more lice. So I checked my kiddos hair, asked my Hubby to and he said I was paranoid.
Saturday, kiddo still says his head is itchy. I check again and thought maybe I saw a bug. Not what I thought lice looked like,,,but I didn't really know what lice look like. Called in the Hubby - he told me I was paranoid again and there was nothing there.
Sunday morning, my head is itchy and kiddo is still complaining about itchy head. I don't see anything in his hair...but caught site of a bug on his PJ shirt...and it was an adult louse. Yuck. So I march kiddo to bathroom tub and shave all his hair off...and then I start seeing lots more evidence that he was indeed infested. I check kid number two and decided, I couldn't see anything with kid number 1 and he definitely had them. So I shaved his head too. Then I demanded the Hubby check me. He called the principal at home and left a message to let the school know and requested them to bring in the County Health Nurse for head checks.
Hubby reported again I was paranoid and there was nothing in my hair. So I called my sister and message an Aunt that I know had gone through this. Then I made my Hubby talk to my sister to tell him what to look for and where to look. I had nits in my hair. She recommended because my long, super curly, super thick hair would be near impossible to comb through to have him cut it off at least shoulder length. Then in a couple weeks if we are all clear I can go to a stylist. I love my Hubby and am sure glad he is a better farmer than beautician.
So why I am sharing this cringe worthy story? Because I believe we shouldn't be so ashamed we keep quiet. Lice can spread, if we don't say anything how does anyone know to check? If they don't check they keep spreading. I honestly can't tell you how long we have had lice in the house. My younger son did not have them, my Toddler did not have them. We never found live bugs in my hair...but there are nits (eggs) so they had to have been there. All full of admissions - I am a 31 year old woman who still fights cradle cap and dandruff. The top of my head tends to get a little itchy. My neck became incredibly itchy on Saturday. My son started itching and complaining about itching on Friday. How long before you are itchy after getting lice? No idea.
What I do know is that the itchy is an allergic reaction to the bites. It is common but not everyone gets itchy. We have thick thick dark hair in this house and the nits can be the size of a grain of sand, the lice are brown. I couldn't see them in our hair not knowing what to look for. I would love to wrap up with "in short" but this post is anything but. I wrote this because our school does NOT notify parents if there is a case of head lice. If you request a head check they will check ONLY the one class. How are we supposed to stop an outbreak if you don't know about it, or what to look for?
So I'm sharing our story. Sunday I called all of our neighbors and parents of kids my children play with. Then I messaged every parents of kids that school with my son that I know and asked them to pass on the word to the parents I don't know. I shared a post on Facebook. And I am going to the Community Health Nurse daily to be nit checked, along with my Toddler and Bald Son #2 who isn't in school.
Spread awareness people. Share what to look for and where to go if you are unsure. The sooner it is treated and resolved the faster the outbreak can be over. As for me...I can't wait to get the all clear to go to the beauty shop and see what we can salvage of my hair.
PS - Please share hairstyles ideas for Short Curly Hair and wish me luck. The Hubby won't let me shave my head. I even promised I could buy a wig for his brothers wedding next month and could wear a hat in public.
Friday my Kindergartner came home with head lice. I have never had lice, my Hubby has never had lice. We have only heard about them and knew next to nothing about them. Earlier his summer I knew they were going around and at Fair time. So when school started I took away my kiddos ball cap and added a drop of tea tree oil in his shampoo. Then I hadn't heard anything more and assumed the outbreak was over. I wasn't even checking. He has reached that age were he wants more privacy and doesn't want Mom to help with bathing. So I set water temps, quiz him down through the door to make sure he scrubbed everywhere and that's about it. If I feel I need to I occasionally make him let me shampoo his hair because its super thick and I don't think he always actually washes it.
Anyway, Friday I noticed him scratching his head and he said it was itchy. I put him through the shower and did a good scrub on his hair, thinking that was the issue. Then I remembered I overheard other moms on the playground saying they couldn't wait for winter because it means no more lice. So I checked my kiddos hair, asked my Hubby to and he said I was paranoid.
Saturday, kiddo still says his head is itchy. I check again and thought maybe I saw a bug. Not what I thought lice looked like,,,but I didn't really know what lice look like. Called in the Hubby - he told me I was paranoid again and there was nothing there.
Sunday morning, my head is itchy and kiddo is still complaining about itchy head. I don't see anything in his hair...but caught site of a bug on his PJ shirt...and it was an adult louse. Yuck. So I march kiddo to bathroom tub and shave all his hair off...and then I start seeing lots more evidence that he was indeed infested. I check kid number two and decided, I couldn't see anything with kid number 1 and he definitely had them. So I shaved his head too. Then I demanded the Hubby check me. He called the principal at home and left a message to let the school know and requested them to bring in the County Health Nurse for head checks.
Hubby reported again I was paranoid and there was nothing in my hair. So I called my sister and message an Aunt that I know had gone through this. Then I made my Hubby talk to my sister to tell him what to look for and where to look. I had nits in my hair. She recommended because my long, super curly, super thick hair would be near impossible to comb through to have him cut it off at least shoulder length. Then in a couple weeks if we are all clear I can go to a stylist. I love my Hubby and am sure glad he is a better farmer than beautician.
So why I am sharing this cringe worthy story? Because I believe we shouldn't be so ashamed we keep quiet. Lice can spread, if we don't say anything how does anyone know to check? If they don't check they keep spreading. I honestly can't tell you how long we have had lice in the house. My younger son did not have them, my Toddler did not have them. We never found live bugs in my hair...but there are nits (eggs) so they had to have been there. All full of admissions - I am a 31 year old woman who still fights cradle cap and dandruff. The top of my head tends to get a little itchy. My neck became incredibly itchy on Saturday. My son started itching and complaining about itching on Friday. How long before you are itchy after getting lice? No idea.What I do know is that the itchy is an allergic reaction to the bites. It is common but not everyone gets itchy. We have thick thick dark hair in this house and the nits can be the size of a grain of sand, the lice are brown. I couldn't see them in our hair not knowing what to look for. I would love to wrap up with "in short" but this post is anything but. I wrote this because our school does NOT notify parents if there is a case of head lice. If you request a head check they will check ONLY the one class. How are we supposed to stop an outbreak if you don't know about it, or what to look for?
So I'm sharing our story. Sunday I called all of our neighbors and parents of kids my children play with. Then I messaged every parents of kids that school with my son that I know and asked them to pass on the word to the parents I don't know. I shared a post on Facebook. And I am going to the Community Health Nurse daily to be nit checked, along with my Toddler and Bald Son #2 who isn't in school.
Spread awareness people. Share what to look for and where to go if you are unsure. The sooner it is treated and resolved the faster the outbreak can be over. As for me...I can't wait to get the all clear to go to the beauty shop and see what we can salvage of my hair.
PS - Please share hairstyles ideas for Short Curly Hair and wish me luck. The Hubby won't let me shave my head. I even promised I could buy a wig for his brothers wedding next month and could wear a hat in public.
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