Head lice loves to visit children's sleep away camps!

My son came home the other day with a letter from his elementary school regarding sleep away camp.  He is so excited and I am just dreading it. He is looking forward to “boys being boys” and his mom not telling him what to do. Me, not so much! Head lice loves spreading through this fun filled week of kid togetherness.

Are your kids going to sleep away camp too?  How about summer camp?  Need advice on how to prevent your child from coming home with more than dirt under their nails?? Read on for these essential tips:

• Pack a fitted twin-size sheet to put on the camp mattress.  This prevents your child from getting lice if the camper using the bed before had lice.
• Tell your child not to sit or lay on anyone else’s bed and not to let their friends sit or lay on theirs.
• Don’t let your child sleep with another child, even if they are best friends!
• Teach your child not to share brushes and combs.  More lice is transferred this way than any other.
• Don’t share beanies, hats, or hoodies.
• Girls should keep their hair up in ponytails or braids so it has less contact with other kids hair and things.
• If it’s time for your son to get a buzz cut, a great time is prior to leaving – the shorter the better.

Camp doesn’t have to be scary for the parent. If you think your child has come home from camp with head lice, review the blog article “Does My Child Have Lice?”

Washing in hot water and drying on high heat will kill lice and nits

Although the chances are small that lice in the house will get back on a head, there is still a chance. In my opinion, if you have lice, why take chances? Do you want lice back?  I hope not!

There are several ways to clean the house of lice:

• Wash items in hot water and dry on high heat
• Bag items for 2 weeks
• Freeze for 3 days
• Vacuum
• Wipe down with Windex (or water and vinegar)

Items that need to be cleaned:

• Bedding including mattress pad, pillow, and comforter
• Clothing that has been worn, including hoodies and beanies
• Stuffed animals and toys that aren’t hard plastic
• Furniture such as couches
• Brushes and combs
• Car/car seats
• Sporting equipment such as helmets, caps or pennies
• Backpack

There are sprays you can purchase at the drug store but I would not recommend them.  They are pesticide based and if you spray them on your beds and couches, your kids will then lie on and breathe the pesticide.  Besides, lice are resistant to the pesticides so these sprays don’t really work.

Head Lice Love Clean Hair

What’s better for repelling lice, clean hair or dirty hair?  Most people believe that having lice is a dirty person’s problem. That’s why there’s the entire stigma about lice.  I always hear, “Lice couldn’t possibly live on my child since I wash her hair every day!” or “Lice only live on the dirty and unkempt.”

Lice Like Clean Hair

Lice thrive on clean hair. When hair is clean there are no oils, dirt, dandruff, and debris in the hair so the lice have an easier time feeding and laying their eggs on the hair. Dirty hair makes it difficult for lice to eat, since lice eat blood by biting on the scalp. When there’s lots of oil and dirt in the hair they can’t get down to the scalp as easily.

That doesn’t mean that your child won’t get lice if you only wash their hair once a month, but it does mean that the lice won’t be as happy there.  So please keep washing your kids. No one likes a stinky kid.

Head Lice Prevention

To prevent lice, put hair products in their hair, such as gel, mousse, and hair spray. When hair is stuck together, they can’t navigate through the hair as easily.  Also, keep girl’s hair up in ponytails or braids so it will have less contact with other people and other’s people’s things.  Boy’s hair should be kept short – the shorter, the better.

Lice affects the rich and the poor, the clean and the not-so-clean. Anyone (except the shaved heads!) can get lice.  Remember, it is not a reflection on you.