byronchild - logo

contain pesticides, so always read the label. These products
are especially dangerous for infants, pregnant women and
breastfeeding mothers.
Here are some tried and tested remedies that won’t harm you
or your child:
As lice cannot survive more than 48 hours without human
blood, smothering the hair with olive oil, and leaving it there
for 48 hours has been proven to be an effective method.
You can also try rinsing your child’s hair with a mixture
of essential oils. In their concentrated form, essential oils are
often too potent to be used directly on the skin. They can
be diluted into a carrier oil, such as neem or grapeseed oil,
which will make them safe to use on your child’s sensitive
scalp. Some essential oils that are good to try that will help to
alleviate the symptoms associated with lice infestation include
lavender, which is good to use as an antiseptic, and good for
use on the skin, as well as having a nice fragrance.
Eucalyptus can be used for its cleansing and antiseptic
properties; it also kills bacteria, and can be used as a soothing
agent. Geranium will soothe the skin. Rosemary is great for
stimulating the scalp, and tea-tree oil, which is a powerful
antiseptic and repellent. You can use all or just a few of these
essential oils. Add about 12 drops of the mixture to one ounce
of carrier oil, apply to your child’s scalp and hair (dry hair),
and wrap with a warm towel or shower cap and leave in for
an hour. After the treatment, comb out any dead lice. Repeat
the treatment 7 days later to kill any newly hatched lice. Then
apply a preventative oil blend, daily (see text box). There are
also some products available from the chemist that are as close
to natural as possible.
Lice produce cement-like secretions which bind their eggs
(called nits) to the hair shaft and make them difficult to
remove. Applying cooking oil to your child’s hair loosens the
secretions so when you comb through the hair, the nits come
away easily.
Mother of three Christine Schoefer, has proven that there
can be a positive side to lice infestation, after all…‘My daughters
and I call it primate time, as we huddle together like
mountain gorillas on the deck, a long-haired head resting on
my knee. We gather the requisite utensils: a small water-filled
bowl (for nits and lice), a tiny-toothed comb, a magnifying
glass (so we can inspect the offenders), a few treats to relieve
boredom (these sessions easily take an hour.) As I begin
inspecting her hair, strand by strand, I tell her she has a little
zoo on top of her head. We imagine together how her hair is a
dense forest of scurrying lice. I talk about nitwits and nitpickers,
and I don’t correct her when she adds knitting needles to
our word game. Eventually, her resentment at having to sit
still dissolves into relaxation and she starts talking. She relates
confusing and exciting things she has observed or experienced
and unburdens herself of hurts she has collected. She does
not expect insightful comments from me, just my attention.
Eventually, of course, she gets impatient. And so do I. But
we cannot take leave of each other until the job is done, so
we persevere in this closeness. In fairytales, combing hair is a
metaphor for setting things straight. Delousing my daughters
gives me an opportunity to smooth out the wrinkles in their
lives.’
With thanks to Christine Schoefer. A portion of this article was originally
printed in Mothering magazine, Issue 123
Josie McCondach is an aspiring freelance writer who enjoys travelling,
photography, and volunteering her time at the byronchild office.
MYTHS and FACTS
about LICE
MYTH: You should treat the
whole family if you suspect
someone of having lice.
FACT: Each person in the family
should be inspected for head lice, however
only the people that have been infested need to
be treated.
MYTH: Shared hats, headphones, and even jackets
hung close together can aid the transfer of lice
from one person to another.
FACT: The lice that infect non-living objects such
as clothes and hats are called body lice. Body lice
are different from head lice and are rare in developed
countries.
MYTH: Cleaning sheets and clothing helps prevent
the spread of head lice.
FACT: Lice need human blood to survive, and they
can only live for 48 hours without human contact.
Therefore there is no need to wash or disinfect
sheets or clothing exposed to a person affected
by head lice.
MYTH: Lice are a symptom of poor hygiene.
FACT: Lice prefer clean hair because the secretions
they produce to stick their eggs to the hair
follicle are more effective on clean hair.
MYTH: It only takes one nit to infest an entire
classroom.
FACT: Lice are transferred from close head to
head contact, they cannot jump from head to
head, so it is very unlikely that an entire classroom
could become infected just because one child is
affected by head lice.
MYTH: You only need to treat your child’s hair
once, and all the lice will be killed.
FACT: Once the mature lice have been killed, it
is necessary to go through your child’s hair with
a comb and remove any nits that have been left
behind. Also, go through the treatment again after
7 days to catch any new lice hatching in the egg
cycle.
MYTH: You should start treating your child as
soon as you see lice eggs.
FACT: Treatment should be considered only when
active lice are observed. Nits are not a sign of
active infestation.
Community Hygiene Concern www.chc.org
byronchild 57