Friday

Turns Out We are Dirty People

O. My. Word.

Do I have a Not Me story for y'all!

I started out the week telling you how my teeth have a low self esteem. And then I spent two hours in The Chair yesterday. I survived.

Well. I want my kids to have healthy teeth too and positive feelings about their dental hygiene experience, so I took them to their bi-annual visit this week also.

I find this nearly as bad as taking myself to the dentist.

Because you know who they blame when your children have cavities.

Oh goody, more Mom guilt. Thankyouverymuch.

In my wildest imagination, I prepared myself for 10 cavities each. 

I said wildest.

I wanted to go there mentally, just in case. I like dealing with worst-case-scenarios head on.

So. 

It was much worse than I feared.

I mean, so bad, I might need counseling or a beer. (Which is saying a lot, the beer part, anyway. Former Pastor's wife, remember? And I get tipsy with Nyquil).

Oh, no, my kids didn't have 10 cavities, they had...................

wait for it.......................

None. Not one. Totally clear, beautifully clean teeth.

But apparently that's nothing because by the look on the hygienist's face, I knew there was something else.

She quietly leaned in and said for adult ears only, 

"Your daughter has lice."

Let's just let that nugget sink in.

Um, no thank you, my kids don't get lice.

L.I.C.E.

As in little bugs in the head region.

Discovered by a dental hygienist. 

Turns out my deep conviction that only dirty people get lice is not true.

Or is it?

Thank God for over-the-counter hair pesticide.

On the bright side, I've learned there's much more to fear than a simple visit to the dentist.


And now it's your turn to fill up my comment section about all the times your children have had lice. This will make me feel normal, less dirty and possibly make me stop scratching imaginary bugs. So, go ahead, tell me how you boiled your sheets, stood your family in a line like gorilla's to check each other's heads, used the tiny, fine-toothed comb....hello?  Anyone there?  

H-e--ll-ooooooo........

P.S. We caught it very early and only had to fumigate my daughter. Turns out it was going around in her class. Who knew? But still, y'all: lice. Oooh.

123 comments:

Muthering Heights said...

That hasn't happened to us yet, but I would be sreaming and calling an exterminator...or maybe a demolition crew!

Good luck, I hope you get things under control soon!

Charlotte said...

Oh wow! I had lice when I was 5. I was sent home from school. I was adopted when I was 7. A month or so later, I told my new parents that I had lice, but believe, they did not. They waited for me to be sent home from school. By that time, it had spread to my younger brother and sister. And stand in line like gorillas, while they cleaned out our hair, we did! Hope it's easier to deal with for you!

Anonymous said...

Oh, dear, I'm so sorry!! I have been very fortunate with that so far. The worst thing we've had to deal with was 6 months of ringworm and treatments.
I think homeschoolers are slightly less at risk for head lice - but only slightly. Two separate homeschooling friends have had to go through this with - get this - FIVE CHILDREN each!! I mean, after all there is still ballet and such and apparently it's a good place to pick up head lice as well as pirouettes.

I'm praying this is a quick and easy kill. The bugs, I mean!

Kristen M. said...

You are sooo not alone. We had our first case of lice this school year. Started with my 7yr old, spread to my 5yr old and then to me! We declared war on the lice and eventually won - boiled everything, confiscated stuffed animals, changed pillowcases daily, used the fine-toothed multiple times a day, etc.

Anonymous said...

Is THAT all? Good grief.

No. It's not just dirty people that get lice. Anyone can get lice. You never know. It happens.

It's gonna be heckfar getting red of them, though. Just follow the directions EXACTLY. If the Rid-X doesn't do it, the Dr. will have something better. The shorter the hair, the easier it will be. And you'll have to deal with pillows and stuffed toys, etc. Google will help you there.

Never had it, but I had a bunch of patients with it when I worked Pedi. You, like most moms, are probably mortified and etc. I understand. You'll be fine. Everybody will be fine.

And no, you are not a "lousy" mom. But if you're serious about that beer...

a Tonggu Momma said...

Forget my daughter... I had lice at least three times that I can remember growing up. First HAD got it... she gave it to me... I gave it to my sis... who gave it back to me... then I gave it to Otter... who gave it back to HAD... who gave it to me. Are you feeling better yet? Maybe just confused? Well, at least you are now distracted.

Tammy said...

How about this, my daughter got them, we treated them twice as directed.

Then Hubs and I left for Japan, and guess what....yep, the nasty things came back while we were gone. My MIL had to do the whole hair routine with her.

It was a nightmare. I finally went to a local health food store and got a recipe with natural oils because I could not put that chemical on her hair one more time!

Amy said...

I had lice as a kid, it sucked. I had long hair, I cried. My mom cried, it sucked.

Flash 10 years later, and my college roommate comes back from a missions trip to India with head lice. ACK!!! I was SO not cool about it! Sorry Karin! Thankfully I didn't catch it from her and all was well. :)

Jeanette said...

We just went thru this for the first time with my 14 & 15 year old this past fall. Neither of them had a bad case but I was like you MORTIFIED!

Lice like clean hair so you are clean people!!! You must continue to go thru her hair everyday AT LEAST once. You must pick every nit or they will just continue and continue. We ended up dealing with it for about 2 months because even with all the treatments there always seemed to be one nit left somewhere. You will get very good and going thru her hair. Don't let her go to any sleep overs or have any sleep overs until there have been no lice for at least 2 weeks. Also don't let anybody lay on her bed or sleep with her. Throw all laundry in the washer AND dryer at the highest heat possible. Use the mattress spray on the mattress every day and strip the bed every day even if you just throw everything into the dryer for an hour on high heat and then remake the bed. I went thru cans and cans of the spray but it does help. Also make sure you vacuum the carpets ALOT. I found that your fingernail works better at getting nits than the comb does but you have to be meticulous and do it in really good light.

I wish I lived closer - I would be happy to help "nit pick". I can see them like not bodies business!

Now I need to go wash my hair!!

Anonymous said...

K, don't freak out. If this is the worst thing you have to endure as a mother, you are still very blessed and doing better than most suffering people in the world. (I'm not trying this to make you feel bad, just trying to put it into perspective for you.)

I had lice as a child. Yeah, it was a pain and a nuisance. I know our mother suffered more than us girls because of her pride. But that's a story for my own blog, maybe I'll write it someday.

Now go kill some bugs! :)

monica

Jillie Bean (AKA Bubba's Sis) said...

(Scratch scratch scratch scratch....)

Natalie Witcher said...

Okay, I thought your tweet was referring to the coffee one, so when you tweeted back about being "clean" I had to pop over.

Totally laughing my head off! At the DENTIST!!

Okay, seriously, my girls had two rounds of it. Well, it was because our adopted neice from AFRICA brought them over, but I'm sure y'all are super clean. In fact, lice like clean heads, so, keep 'em filthy!

Shannon said...

Oh my stars, that brings back awful memories. My oldest son got lice from a community batting helmet a couple of years ago. OTC remedies didn't work great, but you know what worked like a charm? Covered his head w/ Vaseline and a shower cap, and we let him sleep that way. It was nasty, but it killed all the little (*gulp*) buggers.

Laura L. said...

Oh dear! I'm sorry to hear about this. Found by the hygienist too. I'm sorry.
Feel better! I had them as a kid. TWO of my kids got them from a COUSIN. Nice.
My niece (not same cousin) got them this year.

Lice know no social status if you know what I mean.

Yes, it makes you feel awful.
I remember throwing pillows into the dumpster in the alley and I thought I'd never feel clean again. We survived.

I agree with the above comment. Do check your child's head daily, under the light and pick out nits.

Sarah said...

WE just went through our first round of lice a few weeks ago. I have four kids and have very long hair myself.

I cleaned like a mad lady and treated everything under the sun. My kids knew as soon as they woke up that mom was going to run that little comb through their hair and once more before they went to bed. Ugh...nasty little things! My 7 year old was the worst and finally one night I doused his head with olive oil and a shower cap and he slept in it. He woke up with the softest hair and we haven't seen a bug since!! PTL!

Sorry you are going through this. I know its such a headache. I would treat EVERYONE though--just for good measure.

Trista said...

Okay, the dental hygenist finding the lice is hilarious. The fact that your daughter has it, is not.

Luckily, we've yet to have to deal with it yet. BUT, they aren't in "real" school yet so I figure it's only a matter of time.

CONGRATS on the no cavities!!!

Jill said...

Just found your blog and although I think you are hysterical, I know right now, under the circumstances, you may not think you are...
Thanks for the good laugh! NO, I do not think you are dirty, nor are your kids, you just gotta love school!
Congrats on the kiddos teeth BTW!
AWESOME!

Tabitha said...

nope, haven't dealt with lice yet but, girlfriend, focus on the positive of the no cavities!!! Better a health pro find them than, say, another mom at a sleepover??? :) You'll survive! Gosh, I'm itchy...

Kim @ Starshine Chic said...

You've got me scratching at imaginary bugs now! Thanks!

I've never had to deal with lice, but we did deal with scabies. They are basically the same thing as lice but can infest anywhere on your body except the head. I asked the doctor why scabies don't infest your head & lice don't infest your body & he said "Professional courtesy".

It happens to the best of us, that's why we are "that family". Good luck!

Amber Filkins said...

Let me first say that my head started itching THE MOMENT you said lice. ANd I have to keep stopping my typing to scratch my head. There's just something about it. It's automatic.

Okay, unfortunately, I have lots of lice stories. I got it in grade school, from school. {My hair was always LONG, like down to my butt} Easy target.

Then, I worked at a day care a few years ago. Nuff said. I got it while I was pregnant and I COULD NOT get it to go away.

I used all the shampoos. I ran my pillows in the dryer over and over. I used the lavender shampoos they suggest. I used tea tree oil. I put mayonnaise in my hair and had to leave it in there. I bought the spray and sprayed it on everything.

My daughter got it from preschool one time and I could not get it to go away either. I had to bag up her stuffed animals in plastic garbage bags for a month. It was absolutely horrible.

It is a horrible, horrible feeling. You are SO lucky that they caught it early. And don't feel badly. You would never LOOK for it. Dentists look for it, I'm sure. Plus they're up close and personal in a different way than you are.

Hope that makes you feel better!!

Debbie said...

I was the mom who took all kids who needed a ride to our Christian school. One of my passengers contracted lice. Luckily, the lice decided not to munch on me. My 7 year old daughter didn't fair so well. She got them. What was worse, she had hair that hung below her rear-end. Talk about rough! Try getting that little comb down 3 foot of hair. I fumigated my car & my daughter. I put stuffed toys , dolls & pillows in plastic garbage sacks. I vaccumed everything. I even pulled curtains down and washed them. I was plum wore out by the time I was done. We were able to get lice-free. A few weeks later, I was told there was another out break of lice at school. I was told this while I was standing in the middle of the classroom that had the outbreak. I did NOT want to go through the same routine. I had an idea of attack. When I pulled into our garage, I quickly shut the garage door. I proceeded to peel off all of my clothes. When I was completely disrobed, I stuck my clothes in a plastic garbage bag and left them in the garage. That would teach those varmits to ever get on me or my family again!!! You should have seen the look on my husband's face when I walked in from the garage with just my underclothes on. Priceless! (By the way, we are THAT family, too).

Shanna said...

Don't worry. Lice are Equal Opportunity Critters; however, do prefer cleanliness.

Anonymous said...

Okay, first of all - so sorry!
My good friend used to teach school in a very low social-economic area. She had several students living in shelters and lice was a huge problem. She said that sometimes kids would give her a hug and she'd look down to see lice crawling on her sweater...but she never got it.
Her secret weapon was tea-tree oil. She added about a 1/2 teaspoon to a new bottle of shampoo and it kept the lice away. Might be a good idea for the rest of the family?
Now as for the dirty part. I had lice as a kid, but worse than that was the time I discovered that - I had PIN WORMS. (Dirty-stinkin' neighbor's cat!) Talk about shame... At least the hygienist didn't see that one.

Anonymous said...

Hi I got it from my nieces a few years back. Use Tea Tree oil. a little in the shampoo and it works like nothing else. The nits can't hang on and they don't like it either.

Give it a try.
Kim

Liz said...

My first son got it when he was 6yo...and he's now 23 so I can say we survived..but I was just as mortified as you and the other commentors! Now over 15 years later, my youngest son, daughter and myself gets lice and boy was it more then a chore to get rid of them! My daughter has nice thick long hair! thanks for sharing ~Liz

Andrea said...

So far, we haven't had lice in our house. Your dentist story defiantely beats out my kids dentist story that I blogged about a few weeks ago. Good luck!

Anonymous said...

I hate the dentist, my teeth show it, however I've forced the kids since babies to go, no cavities yet knock on wood, Lice would freak me out, but I do know it can happen to anyone-our pediatrican told me years ago to keep hair pulled tight (ponytail) whenever there was an outbreak at school so far so good...BIG HUG!

The Source said...

Oh Kristen! Don't worry, you stop feeling paranoid in a few months! One of our kids had it in first grade. He was scratching behind his ears a lot and I just thought to look really good during his bath. It took everything I had not to run shrieking from the bathroom! Just seeing a nasty bug crawling on my baby's head!! Turns out a child in his class kept returning to school with it over and over...until finally his parents shaved his poor little head bald.

Fortunately, if you catch it before they spread, it's pretty easy to get rid of the little suckers!! Good luck!

Anonymous said...

I got it in college one time. I went to the doctor for a rash on my neck. As it turns out, my neck was itching because I had so much lice they were migrating.

I still itch with the thought of it.

I bet I know what you did yesterday- laundry, laundry, and more laundry. Hope you get to take it easy this weekend.

Jessica D. said...

My hubby and I are children's Evangelist. So we see lots of kids a year, speaking at camps, schools and churches. Yup, been their, did that, done that. Not in awhile but been there. Try staying a hotels and having to tell the receptionist to make sure she does the bed and vacuum good. Then have to sit in a hotel and comb through your hair with not such good light! ( my hubby comb faithfully every day through my hair) Good luck. Hope you can get rid of it the first time. It can be frustrating!

beckyjomama said...

OK, first of all, it doesn't mean you are dirty. In fact, they cling to CLEAN hair easier than dirty hair. I used to work in a day care and we would have to pile the hairspray on to keep from getting it whenever there was a breakout. So, breathe free there.

Secondly, I would treat the whole house just in case. It can be on your furniture, the car seats, pillows, stuffed animals, everywhere. Better safe than sorry - you do NOT want it to come back!!! Anything that you cannot wash in HOT water, put in a trash bag, seal it as airtight as possible and leave it there for a few days (at least two, more if possible), OR buy the spray to treat your furniture, car seats etc... I know it is a pain, but it will be worth it. Trust me on this one. The one family who shrugged it off because they were "clean people with a clean house" were the ones who CONSTANTLY brought it back!

Good luck! I'm praying for ya!

The Hall Family said...

We had to deal with lice when my daughter was 4. She had never gotten her hair cut, and it was long and beautiful. Well, she got it cut then because I was not going to deal with combing out her long hair with that fine comb! I was also in the midst of morning sickness at the time....fun, fun.

I would definitely recommend getting the spray to spray all matresses, carseats, couches, and any other fabric surface. Wash all things possible in hot water, because those little buggers can hold their breath a long time and cold water won't kill them. Also, put all pillows and stuffed animals in bags in a room that's not used (we put them in the gargage).

I read in the comments section that someone suggested to put them there for a few days. From what I read, if you want to be sure that the lice are dead, you need to leave them there for 6 weeks. I don't know, we didn't want to deal with it again, so we left everything away for 6 weeks just to be safe.

The best way to make sure that you aren't going to reinfest your house is to check each other's hair with the lice comb every day for a couple of weeks. Good luck!

Nikie said...

Sadly my daughter has had it three times THIS year.
The school has had such an outbreak that they brought in a professional lice picker. I am not kidding! She spoke for an hour about how to find them and treat it.

The best tool is the "nitpicker" comb. They now sell it at the school nurse so when you come to pick up your licey kid you get a door prize.

Harmony said...

My kids haven't had lice yet but I did, more than once, when I was young. They seem to like long girl hair! My mother was a neat-freak and I was clean but you can't always stop them from hopping on for a ride from someone else, clean or dirty! I remember many hours of "the comb" and stinky shampoo and yells of "little buggers are the same colour as your hair, this is impossible" and "ouch!" Glad it was caught early!

DairyQueen said...

Oh my! Luckily we haven't had to deal with it because my kids are home most of the time, but I remember my case of it in 1st grade. And believe me, my mom was not dirty!

Kit Kat said...

My not even 2 yet son has already had lice twice! The first time was quickly removed. The second time, they kept coming back! I finally buzzed all his hair off to be safe but not before he gave it to me. Lot's of fun. Just keep checking every day for at least a week to be sure they're gone. Good luck!
Oh and thanks for such a great blog. It's nice to know there are other families like mine out there!

Unknown said...

Ok, Ok, as a nurse, let me tell you- kids get lice. Moms get lice too! My parents had 3 foster kids and I was watching them when they went on a trip(I was 28). The 3 year old got lice at day care, so did I. While my parents were in Hawaii, I was treating 4 people and a house for Lice- yuck! we got through it- still gives me the eebie jeebies though. Good luck- I am sure you will be the talk of the dentists office for a while! You truly are That Family!
tia

Vivian M said...

Although our daughter has never had lice, I shudder at the thought of little bugs (I have a phobia) so I hope she never gets them!

Kristy K said...

Okay, I was NOT prepared for that!

I'm reluctant to say that my children (7,5 and 2) haven't had lice because I know that as soon as I mention it, they'll come home with it. But so far, we haven't been that unlucky (knock on wood). I remember having it when I was younger and sitting for an entire day while my mom pulled every nit out of my long hair. Ick.

I'm the Mom said...

Been there years ago with my oldest. Ugh! I would comment more but I can't stop itching my head right now....LOL!
Hope you get rid of the little pests quickly!

Patti said...

We had to deal with lice after a youth sleepover at our house BK. I had the privlige of calling all the other moms to let them know they needed to check their darling daughters then cleaning my whole house because they played/ate/slept EVERYWHERE. Funfunfun. (scrath, scratch, scratch)But I didn't have to comb nits.

Our infestation battle has been with fleas. Sandy ground, humid air, indoor/outdoor dog, carpet. GRRRRRR.

Big congrats on no cavities!

JenT said...

Oh I know what you mean. But not because my kids have had it. I used to get it when I was a kid. I would catch it from some other kid at school when they got it. Ick...lice liked my hair because it's thick. I remember the shampoo and the tiny comb...ouch! I'm so thankful none of mine have had to deal with that.

Melanie said...

We haven't had lice yet, but I figure we'll get it at some point.

My sister had it when we were little, and I remember feeling very scared that I would get it too. I had great thick hair, the only good thing I had going, and my mom told me if I got it she would probably have to cut it all off. Thankfully, I avoided this nightmare!

Anne said...

First off: Congrats on the teeth!! That's huge.

Second: To make you feel better. When we were younger, and my mom was very pregnant with my sister, my brother came home from kindergarten with lice and she SHAVED HIS HEAD it freaked her out so bad. He refused to go back for like a week. Seriously traumatized him for life.

See, aren't you a better mom??

Cheryl said...

My daughter, who is now 18, was the only one of my kids to get lice..twice. I have no idea how no one else even got one little bug, but she was "blessed".

Anonymous said...

I sit at my desk at work with the sudden urge to scratch my head till it bleeds!
Been there. It's not fun. My oldest had this great pleasure when she was in kindergarten. It took multiple treatments. Clean every one and every thing! Just when you think it's over, you'll find another little bugger.
Wash the bedding everyday. Check everyone's hair everyday. I was lucky to contain it to just my oldest daughter. Can only imagine how *hairy* it would be to have more than one person dealing with it at a time.
Good Luck!

Chaotic Joy said...

I have four kids. The oldest is 16. I think we have had lice 3 times so far. The only requirement to get lice is for your kids to be around someone at school who has it. Lice actually prefer clean hair, so that should make you feel better. But man are those things an awful pain to get rid of. Makes me itch just thinking about it.

Anonymous said...

My 9yo daughter had them for the first time this year. They were battling it at school. Luckily, we caught them very early (I found one while I was doing her hair). I treated her with the OTC nasty stuff. For days after, I would go over her hair to check for the eggs. If you find ONE egg, it could hatch and you have to start over. The chemical does NOT kill the eggs. I did find one, that I think hatched a couple of days later, called the ped and the nurse gave me these instructions. You don't want to use the chemicals more than once in a week. So, you cover the hair in mayonaisse, the REAL stuff, and wrap it in a shower cap or saran wrap, then a towel and let it sit, get this, all day. We let it sit for 6 hours. Since it was under a towel, she said it didn't bother her. The idea is it smothers the bugs and can help to loosen the eggs. Rinse it out using warm water, then follow by white vinegar. And this will help while you comb out the nits to loosen them. THen wash the hair using Dawn Dishwashing soap. It really cuts through the grease of the mayo.
After we got through this initial ATTACK we were all good.
About two months later, she had a sleepover at her friend's house who her mother is an impeccable housekeeper. She came home and the mother called later to tell us she found lice on her daughter. I checked my daughter and she had none, but I retreated her with the mayo just in case. Good luck.

Stef Layton said...

boys haven't had lice, but I got it in 8th grade! Was sent home with my 2 other friends. But we were told to toss all brushes and combs and boil everyone's sheets so my older sister and parents wouldn't get it to.

And yes, it's a "clean" hair bug!

Amanda said...

ahahahaha Im only laughing b/c I remember our conversation the other day when we were talking about this and we both said we would rather have LICE than Stomach Flu - so there is a bright side to this :-)

Anonymous said...

You definitely are not alone...the greatest thing I found to help...the LICEMEISTER COMB. So much better then chemicals on your kid!

Hope the critters are vanquished soon! Denise

Miss Mandy said...

We had company stay w/ us for several weeks. Their daughter had lice that they didn't treat.

My littlest wasn't 2 yet, so we couldn't use the standard treatment. We used mayonnaise. It worked.

Drop some tea tree oil in your shampoo. They don't like it & won't stick around.

Beki - TheRustedChain said...

Oh NO!! I haven't had to deal with it (yet) as a mom. And I pray often that I don't have to!

But I have vivid memories of the shampoo scent from when I was a kid. I had it several different times. Ugh.

I've only glanced through the comments but one thing I've always heard is that blow drying your hair can help. I've heard that this is why adults frequently don't get lice when the kids have it. The heat kills them. ??

Anonymous said...

At least they weren't drinking coffee!

Haha. I'm KIDDING!!!

Anonymous said...

I havent commented before, but I LOVE following your blog. And yes we have had lice! I had a daycare in my home, but we got it from a neighbor so I had the pleasure of having to call EVERYONE and let them know we had lice and they might have it too! I also called the school to let them know, and to my horror one of the moms in my daughters class found out and told her daughter not to play with my daughter because she might get it. (That was a worse battle to fight then the lice!) I fought the lice battle and thought I had won, but NO the nasty things came back 2 months later. So make sure you treat EVERYTHING! Also the second time around I used home remidies (mayo on the hair with a shower cap all night, GAG) but it worked better then the chemical treatment, and yes you must comb ALL the nits.
Ok theres my 2 cents, GOOD LUCK!

Phyllis@Aimless Conversation said...

Maybe you could borrow one of those dental lights so that you can see them better...

Sorry about your trauma, but hooray for the no cavities thing.

I, myself am a horrible mother...my children have never been to the dentist. (**gasp**)

Dawn @ simply transparent said...

why is there an the urge to scratch from this far away?


Only once did I have to deny a client a p/w b/c of the bugs..yuck.

Niki Jolene said...

Your kids are clean! Lice love love love clean hair! They hate dirty hair and dyed hair. They like nice clean scalps of lil kids.

And I can;t believe the school didn't alert you of the lice...here in NJ they have to call the whole class!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

We have beat the lice thing, but not the ring worm...had that and it's horrible. My little one sucks her finger, and doctor said that every classroom/church room etc, has ringworm around...ugh.

Karen said...

I've learned (ahem) that lice actually prefer clean heads. It's best to not wash daily when there's an epidemic going around.

Wade's World said...

Honest to goodness, I finished reading your post and my head started itching!

Gotta love the power of suggestion!

Becky said...

Didn't you ever watch the Arthur episode that explains that lice likes clean people not dirty ones? They slide off oiley hair..they like CLEAN hair! (that has to make you feel better some huh?)

My daughter had lice when she was 7. Traumatized the heck outta me. I was pregnant with our 3rd at the time and going to college...oh and it was Christmas. Washed all the sheets in the the house, pilows, sprayed that stuff on the mattresses, and in the car, bagged up all her stuffed animals, and treated the whole family with rid. Twice. Didn't work. Ended up sleeping in nightcaps with mayo on our heads and worked like a charm! (my daughter wouldn't eat mayo for YEARS, but it was totally worth it! I freak about bugs)

Hang in there! It happens to the best of us!

Life with kids! Gotta love em:)

Darlene - Our Creative Life said...

I sympathize...it sure is a PAIN!!! Both of our daughters have gotten it. Once we were on a cruise (1st day out at sea) when we noticed our 4 yr old had lice...yikes! There was no lice killing medicine on the ship & o course we couldn't sail to a drug store. We had to pick the little buggers out of her hair daily. Luckily they change the bed linens daily! As soon as we got home 7 days later we treated her and all of us. What a pain that was!!

Anonymous said...

Years ago, my daughter had a terrible case of head lice. We tried everything. The lotions, the combs, the shampoos. We even died her hair (a similar color) because someone said it might kill the lice. Nothing worked.

We ended up having to shave her head.

She took it in stride and we got her some really cute hats. Her hair is long and beautiful now but there was just nothing else that was working.

Have fun!

MommaJen said...

oh yes, we've been there with my 2 y.o. daughter and in a brand new house (we'd been there less than 2 weeks) She brought the lice home from her preschool TWICE! We threw out all the crib bedding, stuffed animals, blankets, everything. The plus side? I got rid of alot of junk I didn't want! Hang in there, it doesn't just happen to "dirty" people!

Raise Them Up said...

I found them in my oldest son (and only him) on Christmas Day, 4 years ago.

My middle boy, a year younger, brought tears to my eyes when he asked if he could get a hair cut like his brother to make him feel better.

When all was said an done, I gave all three of my boys the same crew cut and took lots of pictures. My oldest was one of 9 little boys to get crews cut for Christmas (wink!) in his class. :)

I also (how embarrassing) had to ask my neighbor friend to come and check my head because I was convinced that my husband was missing them. She didn't find any, but I itched THAT bad! LOL!

I'm sending prayers for patience off right now. Hugs!

Robin said...

We've never had to deal with lice, but we've had lots of cavities over the years!

akawest said...

Wow, that was unexpected!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I am so sorry for you! At least there weren't any cavities, but oh, you poor girl.

We were just discussing lice in school today - the plague that fell on the Egyptians. We haven't had lice, yet. But, now I'm second-guessing taking them to the dentist. :)

Precision Quality Laser said...

Oh my...just reading this post is making me itch ALL OVER! But if you had talked about fleas I would have been seeing imaginary black spots hopping around...lol. I VIVIDLY recall when I contracted lice as a little girl. Hours of fun spent with my mom picking through my loooong hair. It was awful. I followed the rules of 'never let anyone use your hairbrush/ hat/ coat/ scarf' etc. I got them by hugging a friend! Sigh.

Just makes me soooo grateful that we homeschool!

On the plus side, great job on no cavities! That is some dental diligence!

littletoesandcheerios said...

Never had lice but I blame the school systems for making people feel dirty about it. At school they would do random lice checks in front of everybody and send the one's home who had it. All the kids would think the kids that went home were dirty or gross. If they were boys they would come back with buzz haircuts!

Anyone can get it (beauty school dropout here, not really a dropout, just like that song!) Girls with long hair are more likely to catch it and it no one's fault.

Way to go on the clean teeth though! My 1st trip to the dentist-6 cavities!

Pam said...

Never had to go thru that one. But have friend that did. It's a mess. Have you seen the Arthur episode (PBS) on lice? AFTER you're done with all of this, your kids will find it hilarious!

Brian Lucio said...

I can so relate! I have four children and so far the oldest who is now 18 is the only one who has had it (knocking on wood as I type this). BUT, she had it TWICE!

Let me promise you that there is something HORRIBLE about taking your daughter to the beauty salon (it was a nice one too) only to be sent home with your daughter in tears and your face beet red because the stylist refused to cut it! Not only did she refuse to cut it but before she escorted us out, she made us show her which chair my daughter was sitting in so she could spray it!

It was awful! My poor girl! Then I didn't do enough to get rid of them so they came back. Found out this time with a call from the school!

Now, I itch every time someone says lice and I freak every time I see a speck of anything in the other 3 kids hair!

You're not dirty! You're now just a member of the club!

Welcome!

everyday mom of one said...

We had lice alot growing up and my mother was a neat freak. I feel your embaressment though of the Dental Hygienist noticing. I think i would be mortified. Mind you she has obviously had kids with it if she knows what it looks like.

Anonymous said...

You are not dirty. Repeat this to yourself over and over. When I taught third grade there was an outbreak at our school. It was awful. Thankfully I was spared, but oh the washing and cleaning and boiling and research... I pity you all that work and the embarrassment. But, honestly, it isn't b/c you are dirty. We got a note from my son's preschool a few weeks ago that someone in his class had it. I DREAD the day that the circus has lice.

No lice here today...instead I found my son peeing in the parking lot. Embarrassing in its own right.

Donna @ Way More Homemade said...

I caught ours early enough that there were no eggs or anything that we could find. No idea where we picked it up. First found it on daughter, then son and husband. None on me, but I'm still scratching my head every time I think about it.

Shannon said...

Oh how I loath lice! My head itches just thinking about it! We have already had a go round this winter. I feel for you but if you have kids, and they go to school sooner or later they are bringing home lice! YUCK!

Mel said...

Oh my gosh I'm now itching my head! Luckily, and I'm knocking on the wood found all over my house, my kids have never had lice. Being a teacher though we have had an outbreak here and there and it freaks me out. I am paranoid!! The thought of bugs crawling in my head...ok I'm going to stop now because I can't take it. Good luck!!!

Unknown said...

Now I am ITCHING!! I had lice when I was a kid at least once that I remember.

My son hasn't had them...yet. But thank you for sharing all about it and all the great comments, because now I feel like I would at least have a clue of what to start doing if he gets them.

Hope you have a great weekend anyway!

Harleygurl said...

Make sure you put stuffed animals or anything non washable in DARK trashbags and seal them up for at least 7 days. Wash al bedding. If you do not want to use pestiside type products you can use olive oil(cheapest you can find will work fine. Yes, it works and works well plus it leaves your hair very shiny. I suggest leaving it on over night or all day if found early in the day, then wash out with Dawn dish soap. Dawn removes the greasy feel and look from your hair with out drying it out. Good luck and remember, lice like clean not dirty!

Marie {Make and Takes} said...

Ack, I have yet to deal with this dilemma! I think I would choose the cavities. So sorry, good luck!

Anonymous said...

We just dealt with those lovely critters back in November. Keep a close eye on your other kids... and wash everything, vacuum everything, and comb, comb, comb!
Toni

D... said...

My daughter had it TWICE because a mother kept sending her infested child to school. It was a language barrier. Horrible experience. The key is make sure all the nits are out of her hair. Nightly, go through her head. Unfortunately, I had a lot of trouble with those combs. Thank God my girl is hard headed. I'd pluck the whole strand off.

You have my deepest sympathy. I hope to never have to deal with it again.

Also, I'm not sure how you feel about hair products. I heard lice do not like them. So, I started hair spraying my daughter's hair. I have no idea if it worked, but she never got lice again.

CheekySweetie said...

Another tea tree oil suggester here! I have multiple stories about lice. *sigh* But your previous comments are right, they actually prefer clean hair, so I guess at least we're clean. We haven't had an outbreak since we started the tea tree oil added to the shampoo trick though.

Anonymous said...

What comforted me most was when the most soignee lady at church, who was a kindergarten teacher told me: "Oh, my land, Sal- I've had head lice so many times I can't even remember."
I am sorry I freaked out and got my son's head shaved.

Kristen@nosmallthing said...

Yucky! It hasn't happened to us, but someone in my son's class did have it last year. They sent a note home, and I actually happened to bump into her father when he was buying the lice shampoo. So I meticulously checked my kids for two weeks to see if they'd pick it up.

Honestly, it is SO common, and from what I've heard, the lice prefer the clean heads. So consider yourself CLEAN!

Woohoo! You're clean!

Tales From the Eurovan said...

I'm not going to be able to leave a comment since I can't seem to stop scratching my head after reading this post! :)
Take care,
Julie

Anonymous said...

Don't feel bad, as you can see it's like a cold, anyone can catch them. I worked for HeadStart and I was the one who caught them and brought them home. And even though I caught them at work they made me take two days leave-without pay!(yep, still griping about that) The shampoo worked for us but I have heard the mayo works too. I just liked the idea of a heavy duty chemical! Please don't forget to buy the furniture spray-just because they were caught early doesn't mean the eggs arent' around waiting to hatch. Spray everything! Car too! Boil bedding and spray mattresses. Put stuffed animals and such in an airtight bag for at least a month. I just threw away our pillows and hairbrushes and a few other things- an excuse to buy new stuff.:D
Congrats on the perfect teeth though!! LOL

Anonymous said...

just wanted to add my two cents...my kids caught it from the same neighborhood girls twice and then a few years later another neighborhood girls(those girls and their long icky hair...LOL) I used the over the counter once or twice then realized that it was not working AND was bad for my 4 year old , so....we did the olive oil and shower cap thing and it took twice to get them all.
oh....and I spent 3 mos in a hair rag hoping i wouldn't get it.
but all is well now( knock on wood)and you can get rid of it....just be diligent.
christine

Beth@Not a Bow in Sight said...

I've wondered about lice ever since my son started school this year.

I remember in elementary school the nurse used to check each student periodically for lice. Do they still do that?

My mom made me cut my hair when I got it for the second time in two months. It was mid-way down my back and went to a chin length bob...poor hair!

Anonymous said...

{{{{HUGS}}}} Been there, done that, got the t-shirt!!

Courtney said...

When I was about 10 my mom was taking me to get my first perm. I was soo excited. The hairstylist had to tell her I had lice. I didn't care about the stupid lice. I was just mad because they wouldn't give me the perm! Then, on top of it all, my mom melted my favorite headband when she was boiling my hair things. I'm still not over it.

Joy said...

While we haven't had this happen to us it is normal! You guys aren't dirty or freaks!!!

And hey, CONGRATS on the perfect teeth!!!

misty said...

i remember going in to get a perm (in the 80's) & the hairdresser telling me i had lice & to come back in 2 weeks. ha
everybody gets in sometime in their life - not just dirty people! ha ha

3girlsmom said...

Yep. Been there done that. Daughter 1 had it right before Thanksgiving this year. It was spreading like wildfire around the school - all started by a 4th grade trip to a 4H camp. They came home and gave it to siblings and they gave it to friends....and somehow my daughter ended up with it.
We caught it really early, so it was easy to treat. And PTL my other two daughters didn't get it. Neither did I.

mandy_moo said...

Sorry you had to go through that. I admit I had to giggle a little though. :) I guess we'll see how much I'm laughing when that happens to me huh? ;)

Anonymous said...

We've never had lice. BUT I hold no judgment on anyone who has. It just happens. It can spread like wildfire . . . . your take on it is quite funny :-)

Beth Cotell said...

Look on the bright side...it's cheaper to get rid of one case of lice than to get 10 cavities filled!

Alexia said...

Lice are no fun! And I've actually heard that lice like clean hair so there ya go! All SIX of my siblings and I got it when we were younger, that was a nightmare. It took us forever to get rid of it too! There's this no-lice spray that I've been considering for when my boys go out in public...

Kim said...

Turns out I have a Great Fondness for Lice...

http://bit.ly/4CRlB0

Cupcake Dessert said...

this happens to everyone!! i promise.. when i was little I had lice and it was aweful!! i had this long waist length hair and i cried!! but its not from being dirty!! :)

Anonymous said...

I have heard lice don't like hairspray...maybe you should invest in some aquanet and give everyone a light coat before they go out the door.
Seriously though...you'll survive!

Heidi @ Tayterjaq's Rebels said...

I have not had to deal with it with my kids yet, luckily. I can remember my ENTIRE grade school being shut down for a week because of such a bad outbreak. Not only did I get it but so did my parents and even the principal. Not fun.

Lynn said...

This stuff is too crazy...you can't even make up stuff that good!!! Congrats on no cavities. :o)

Angela said...

I think I would've just passed out! I wish I could've seen the look on your face! I am scratching my head now thankyouverymuch!! When I was 6 I had LONG, curly, thick hair and I kept getting lice over and over again. I would not tell my mom where me and the neighbors were going. We lived on a farm and way way out in the pasture "we" had a fort complete with pots and pans and blankets. Really fun to play around in! One day my dad secretly followed us and figured out we were playing in a homeless man's "home" and that my friends is where we got lice over and over. Needless to say we were not allowed back there anymore and my Mom chopped my hair!

Anonymous said...

Feel ya on the mom quilt. I blamed it on my ex. Mine went to the dentist before he kidnapped them for the better of 7 months. They came back with 4 each! I was ticked!!

Sorry to hear about the lice. Hope you get it all cleared up!

Brandy said...

I am itching just thinking about it. I am an elementary teacher and have found my share of lice on kids. It has nothing to do with being "dirty". Make sure you clean every ounce of your house, carpets, car, carseats, etc. I am sure you already know this but I learned a lot dealing with this as a teacher. I am paranoid about my daughter getting it and constantly check her hair, gorilla style. :)
Isn't being a mommy fun ?

Anonymous said...

My daughters got those little critters, too, at two different church camps! (All kids should be checked before camps.) I wondered why God created lice - what are they here for? I realized it was to teach his children to be humble, patient and persistent! I bought an all natural lice spray that you spray on your child so lice didn't get on their hair but I notice they don't sell it anymore - it was wonderful and really worked. Good luck - don't let your guard down! I forgot to spray my seats in my car.

L in Alaska

E @ Scottsville said...

Okay, I got the heeby-jeebies just READING about lice! Yes, we had them about 9 years ago and it was soooo bad. The stuff they sell you wouldn't work. We couldn't get rid of them! Yes, I didn't know anyone in the family had them til I realized IIIII had them. I felt them! SO checked all, and all three of my boys had 'em. ICK! The final thing that worked? Mayonaise! We smothered our heads in Mayo for about 4 hours and wrapped 'em in Saran Wrap. It smothered 'em to death! Course the next time I curled my hair, it smelled like french fries!!!

mom24boys said...

I cannot BELIEVE the school did not send a letter home to everyone in your daughter's grade--I thought they were legally required to! Poor baby! You and dd!

Anonymous said...

Couldn't be worse than getting them in the "nether" region and not knowing what on earth the matter was until your mother took you to the ER. Well, she should have tackled that birds and bees talk a little sooner. I am laughing - it was so long ago. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Now I can pretty much bet you feel better now. ;)

Aileigh said...

I dread and fear the day! At least I have boys, they are easier to detect and fumigate, right? Somebody tell me that they are. Oh my, I am soooo sorry about your experience. Yuk! But hey, yay to no cavities! :)

Simply_Pam said...

Just think ot maybe it would be better if you didn't.. yu are blogging about this.. and the dentist is talking about it and checking everyones head for an add cost..hahahah

Pam said...

OMGosh, I think I just wet myself! I'm laughing so hard (WITH you, I promise!) that I'm about to lose my breath.

Lice. That word has struck fear in me since I was a child. Thank God we never had them!

You're right~You Are THAT Family!

God bless you honey. Have a great week,
Pam

BluRayn said...

Oh my! I haven't ever had to deal with lice but the dentist thing....we're doing that around here, well, Mommy & Daddy are. *I* have a few cavities, apparently due to not going to the dentist in a long time, my bad, but hey, no insurance! Anyway, DH was in the same boat but he only has one, go fig! LOL But kids...having none? Priceless!!!

Jane Anne said...

Oh, that was one GREAT story. My kids haven't had lice (crossing my fingers here) but it sure goes around at my son's school. You will get a kick out of this: Small Town Conversation

Also, Check out my Not Me! Monday Post

Jacquie said...

My sister when she was living with me got it, It apparently like clean heads! But I find it horrible that the school didn't send you a letter of warning!

Liz said...

Oh honey...I don't envy you. I've dealt with headlice at least once per school year since my (now 7th grader) was in Kindergarten. I HATEEEEEEEEEEE it. It's such a huge pain in the neck to treat everyone's heads, all the bedding in the house, all the upholstered furniture, stuffed animals, hairbows, brushes & combs, the works... and then do it all over in a week. Yuck yuck yuck!

Here's a cyber hug for ya from Texas!

Mom to 5...Daughter of the King said...

Oh, we dealt with this a couple of years ago....TWICE!! I hope this is your only experience with it....

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, we are dealing with it too in my daughter's class right now. And, no, it is not dirty kids! Our school is full of clean kids whose parents are doctors, lawyers, plastic surgeons, and self-made millionaires. Last year I don't think one 1st grade girl was exempt from it. Most of us have found the oilve oil shower cap overnight along with the nit pick are the best way to eliminate them. Of course I also bagged all pillows and stuffed animals for at least a month. By Texas state law, schools do not have to report the incidences to parents. We, as parents, have been fighting for our school district to at least notify us so we can be pro-active in examining our children's heads. So sorry. I know it's not fun. Before I read your post, I had just gone through my daughter's hair with a nit comb! She's used to the routine by now.

Anonymous said...

As a kid, I had lice once - in 6th grade - and it was found by the hairdresser.

My children have had lice once - WHILE THEY WERE HOMESCHOOLED! If you thought only dirty people got lice, I figured only kids who went to public school got lice. Nope. My daughter has my hair...so it's thick...and it was long. And it was *really* hard to get rid of. But we did.

The kids are in public school now - and I do random lice checks. No lice. Go figure.

Dana Seilhan said...

When I was a kid, my stepmom was the biggest clean-freak you ever saw. I was doing household chores by the time I was 7, and by the time I was in middle school she was doing a stint in Kirby vacuum sales and we had the floor model in the house for a while, so she would check my work by listening for grit being sucked up--if she heard any, I had to vacuum the room again. THAT level of clean-freak.

My little brother and I got head lice anyway. So no, it's not you. :)

Check this out though--when I was little, another "sign" of a "dirty" or "neglectful" parent was cradle cap. I had it bad. This was used against my mother in a custody dispute. (She wasn't Mother of the Year anyway, but not for that specific reason.) Well, it must be genetic. My daughter has it now. Doesn't matter how often I wash her hair, it comes and goes as it pleases. I'm glad the experts have figured out it's just a skin condition now. Less for me to worry about.

Brooke Lorren said...

I've heard that cleaner hair is more likely to get lice. They don't like to stick to an oily head.

My kids haven't had it yet... we're homeschoolers, and since my kids are biracial, they're less likely to get it (my daughter has to use conditioner every day, lice don't like that).

I had it when I was in boot camp though. That was embarrassing.