My source for facts for this post was http://www.ladibugsinc.com/
I am a mom and I have a work history as a pediatric RN. This post is 100% my own personal opinions and views. My views do not replace the counsel of a healthcare or hair care professional. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclaimer page statement for more details.
Don’t Panic Mama! Keep reading. There is a Chemical Free Solution for a Lice Infestation for your Kid. This is the first installment in my Children’s Healthcare Series.
A Non-toxic Chemical Free Way to Kill Lice, even Super Lice, on Kids’ Heads
Lice infestation is a common healthcare concern for kids. There are lice out there that are becoming immune to OTC treatments; these are the known as the super lice. Lice and super lice are lurking out there in our schools and they are not super in a good superhero-like way.
The school year has started. There is excitement and new adventures for kids. As moms we love to see our kids eyes light up with new school and sports experiences. Our kids are making new friends and seeing old ones again. The kids are playing and leaning in to each other in close contact situations. They might try on another child’s hat to be silly or give hugs with head to head contact. A natural fact about school is close contact with others. This is part of what makes school fun. Close contact is also what spreads a lice infestation.
An infestation means immediate treatment for the infested child to help prevent further spread. OTC products for a lice infestation are available at many stores and online.
Lice become super lice as they become resistant to some OTC treatments, but the good news is there is a line of natural products made by Ladibugs Inc. . The essential oil based product for lice infestation will work on lice, even the resistant super lice.
How Did This Happen to my child?
It’s bound to come home at least once this year, the dreaded lice in the classroom letter. We get the lice letter home at least once during the year from my boys’ teachers, sometimes more than once. Even with having boys I worry they could become infested from being around a child with lice.
The Common Dirty Thirty
It is estimated that about six to twelve million infestations of lice occur in the United States a year. There are possibly even more since lice infestations because it is not a health concern that is reported. According to Ladibugs Inc., lice can live for up to thirty days on a human’s head and it only takes thirty seconds of head to head contact for it to transfer. Even though lice are gross parents, it’s not an issue of being dirty, in fact the tiny parasitic insects prefer clean hair. Infestation is simply contagious.
Ew, Right!
The lice nestle down and make their home in hair. Ew, right! The infested person may notice a tickling feeling in the hair or the feeling of something moving. The lice are disgusting little vampires who feast on human blood. This is why there can be little red bite marks with a lice infestation. The lice themselves often move too fast to be seen. Excessive itching can occur especially if the person is allergic to the lice bites. The sores present from scratching can become infected from bacteria already on the skin adding to the problem. They can cause sleeping problems too because the lice are more active at night.
How to attack the lice problem:
Check for Nits
There is a smart way to check for the nits. I part my boys’ short hair and do a check for eggs (also known as nits) attached at the hair shaft. Frequent daily head checks when notified of an outbreak at school is also important to help prevent the spread to other family members. Be sure to check the child’s nape of the neck, behind the ears, crown, and bang area.
Remove the Nits
The little buggers adhere like someone dropped a bit of superglue in the hair. They can’t just be flicked away; they must be scraped or pulled off the hair shaft. The eggs are just plain hard to get off. Ladibugs makes a special comb for removal. There are also clinics parents can take their child to for lice removal. Ladibugs has a clinic where the lice can be removed in a forty-five-minute treatment (Minnesota based).
Treatment Doesn’t have to be Toxic
As a mom and a pediatric nurse myself, I would choose a non-toxic pesticide free treatment over a chemical to put on my kids. Ladibugs’ product breaks “down the protein that adheres the egg to the hair shaft” naturally with essential oils. This product is soothing to the scalp and made with essential oils so there is no need to worry about lice resistance to treatment according to Ladibugs Inc. It is pesticide free, sulfate free, gluten free, paraben free, and phthalate free. It is a vegan product.
I love the idea of fighting a natural pest with a natural product. It’s also safe for any age. The developing resistance of lice to OTC treatments is not the only danger. Harsh chemical of OTC products can lead to problems such as severe respiratory issues like seizure, tingling, and numbness (Ladibugs Inc.)
Action Plan for Getting Rid of a Lice Infestation
- Treat your child’s head with a lice treatment product.
- Put items that came into contact with your child’s head into the dryer with high heat for forty minutes. Examples of items include coats, hats, blankets, sheets, stuffed animals, dolls, or even rugs if they laid down.
- If the item can’t go in the dryer, you can freeze it in a sealed bag for up to twelve hours to kill lice.
- Boil combs, brushes, and hair accessories for twenty minutes or clean them in the dishwasher on sanitize cycle.
- Discourage sharing of items that go on the head or touch the hair, even dress up clothes or sports gear or googles.
- Keep long hair tied up or braided.
- Clean the car and seats by vacuuming and wipe with a damp cloth.
Dealing with this unexpected and rather nasty childhood health problem can be accomplished easily in a non-toxic way. As moms we can fix this problem. We can stop the spread and we can do it in a safer way. Let’s squash those vile bugs and shoo them off our kids’ heads. Don’t panic, you can do it Mamas!
Sincerely,
Julie, Nurse Mom
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that’s a great post. Sharing it on my fb page , Silver Linings and twitter. I often wonder how to handle this when the time comes because I know from the news that it is going to. Thanks for the update.
Yes, it happens. Seriously every year I get the letter home at least once from school from each of my kids. It’s a problem and I JUST LOVE that there is a natural chemical free product. Thank you so much for reading and sharing. We need to spread the non-toxic treatments around, we are all exposed to way too many chemicals as it is, if we can find a natural one, that is the one I will choose to put on my kids’ heads. Thanks!!!
I am NOT looking forward to this when my son gets older. Thanks for the info on a chemical free solution. We are a chemical free house!
I just love the non-toxic nature of this product. I don’t want to put a chemical on my kids’ heads if I don’t have to. I’d much rather use a natural product for a natural pest. I get the note home every year, it really is a problem and it spreads so easily in the schools with kids sharing hats, hugging, etc. Thanks so much! And I hope you never end up with an infestation!!!