What to Do if Your Kids Brings Home Head Lice

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With the new school year just around the corner I am sure so many of you are hustling around and wrapping up family vacations and preparing for back to school shopping.

It seems as though we anticipate the summer and it is gone in a flash right? Back to school becomes such an anxious time and also a time of panic for some. So let’s talk about one thing that many of you might cringe over. Lice.

Is your head itching just from reading this?get rid of head lice

Lice is something that a lot of kids get because they are so contagious. If you have experienced it you know the headache. I mean after all your kids are spending the bulk of the day with other kids. They are going to play and in some instances come in contact with lice. Another thing is that lice have nothing to do with hygiene. It doesn’t matter if you religiously shampoo, or do so every few days, lice will probably find their way. It is almost inevitable with kids. Don’t think for a second that boys can’t get it either, because they can too!

keep head lice away

With that being said,  here are tips and remedies to keep head lice away and what to do if you get them.

5 Tips For Preventing Head Lice

1. If you have long hair keep it up. Braids, ponytails, and buns are great ways for little girls to keep their hair up and out of contact with items and other kiddos that may possibly have lice.

2. Teach your kiddos not to share things. This includes hair brushes, ponytails, jackets, hats, and even ear buds. And tell your girls not to play with each other’s hair.

3. Use hair spray to keep loose hair down.

4. Use tea tree shampoo. This shampoo is inexpensive and works great. Louse do not like the smell of it! You can also add a few drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo or hair spray to deter lice too. Or, you can add drops of the oil to a scentless shampoo, which is what I would do.

5. Check out your kiddos hair every week to be sure they are all clear. A thorough check might reveal even the earliest of signs.

essential oils that head lice hate

Home Remedies:

Here are some surprising home remedies for head lice too!

1. Mint mouthwash and vinegar. Weird right, but here you go!? Apply the mint mouthwash to the hair and then cover with a shower cap for 3 to 4 hours. Remove the shower cap and apply vinegar. Add a new shower cap for another hour. Rinse and comb thoroughly.

2. Olive oil and vinegar. You probably have lots of this in your pantry. Mix up a half a cup of each ad apply liberally to the hair from root to tip. Cover with a shower cap and rinse thoroughly after 3 or 4 hours. This helps to suffocate the lice. Use a fine tooth comb to remove nits and dead bugs. Do this every 2 days.  Or, if you have OCD like me, do it every day.

3. Mayonnaise. You may smell weird for a few hours but this trick does amazing at suffocating the head lice. Cover your entire head for a few hours. Contain with a shower cap. Shampoo thoroughly after.

4. Wash all bedding, pillows, throws, etc., in hot water.

5. Bag up all stuffed animals in trash bags for 30 days. When I was a kid, we got lice every single year of elementary school from kindergarten until about 4th grade. I think my stuffed animals lived in trash bags more than anywhere else.

These may take more than one time to use, but they are alternatives to harsh over-the-counter chemicals. (Let me just say, tea tree oil is where I would start. It is amazing!!!)

essential oils that head lice hate

Essential Oils That Help:

Any of these oils are good to have on hand. Lice hate them!

  • Rosemary
  • Lemongrass
  • Citronella
  • Eucalyptus
  • Tea Tree

Here is where I buy essential oils online.

Do you have an amazing remedy or tip for head lice? Share your ideas!

 

 

 

 

2 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing this! I work at a day care and we see it every now and then. I keep my hair up to avoid it but I am afraid that my 2 boys will get it one day and I do not want to use chemicals on their heads. I will be trying the home remedies when we (inevitably) end up with it. Thanks again!

  2. I’m dreading the day that I have to deal with this but I know it is coming. These are some great tips and ideas. Thank you for sharing at Family Joy Blog Link-Up Party. We hope to see you again on Sunday at noon EST.

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