Lice. Just saying the word can make you feel itchy. Once you’ve spotted those tiny creatures crawling on your child’s head, the sensation lingers long after. We managed to avoid lice during elementary school, and I was convinced that as my kids transitioned to high school, we had dodged that bullet for good. After all, they wash their hair regularly, I keep the sheets clean, and I do laundry nearly every day. Who would imagine lice would still be a concern in their teenage years?
I was sorely mistaken.
One evening, I picked up my daughter, Mia, from theater rehearsal. She hopped into the car, sweaty and eager to talk about her day. Mid-conversation, she absentmindedly scratched her head and mentioned, “Mom, I found, like, five bugs in my hair today. I even squished one on my notebook, and blood came out.”
What!
I nearly slammed into the car ahead of us as I hit the brakes. “Are you serious? That’s lice!” I exclaimed. I sped through the remaining five blocks to our house, grabbed a flashlight, and dove into her hair. No flashlight was needed; as soon as I parted her hair, there they were—those creepy crawlies.
I rushed to the nearest drugstore, consulted with the pharmacist, and returned home with two boxes of lice treatment and a selection of tea tree oil grooming products. Meanwhile, Mia was in tears, sitting in an empty bathtub, scratching her head. I quickly searched online for “how to treat lice,” started a marathon of laundry, bagged up her jackets, tossed some items in the freezer, and vacuumed until the early hours.
That night, she went to bed with her head slathered in coconut oil and a plastic bag tied around it—just in case.
Now that I’m more knowledgeable about lice, I realize that the extreme measures I took weren’t necessary. Once you treat your child with the right products, they can return to school without worry. I spent the next five days carefully combing through her hair with a nit comb, which is crucial for removal. Although I found more eggs and remnants, thankfully, no one else in the family got lice. These pests need blood from the scalp to live; they don’t jump from bedding or jackets. They are lazy little creatures that perish within 24 to 48 hours if they don’t find a scalp to feast on. We later discovered that Mia likely contracted lice from head-to-head contact during a sleepover two weeks prior—the typical incubation period for lice.
In addition to over-the-counter treatments, there are professional services available that will come to your home and handle the situation for you. Many of these services offer guarantees, promising to return and treat again if the lice persist.
The key takeaway from this experience is that lice can latch onto any head—they’re not picky. No matter how clean you are or how frequently you wash your sheets, anyone can be affected. If you suspect that you or your child may have lice, it’s essential to check for nits. They can resemble dandruff, but if you can flick them off easily, they’re likely not nits. True nits cling to the hair shaft, and lice themselves are brown and resemble sesame seeds—not white. While dealing with lice can be a nuisance, it’s not a medical emergency.
If you’ve managed to avoid lice throughout elementary school, consider yourself fortunate—just like I did. However, it’s crucial to remain vigilant; lice can strike at any age. Keep an eye out for the signs, be prepared, and remember: you’ve got this.
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In summary, lice can be an unexpected challenge even in high school. Awareness and prompt action can alleviate the situation, ensuring your child is lice-free and ready to get back to their routine.
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