What would you do? This one will probably have you scratching your head!
By catherIN
@catherIN (430)
United States
August 31, 2007 5:22pm CST
I do mean this one will probably have you LITERALLY scratching your head!
One of my daughters met a kid that just moved to this state.This boy began hanging out at our house all of the time.I had noticed him scratching his head alot.I starting thinking maybe it was just a habit. We have 8 children [3 grown & 5 still at home & 5 grandkids],so I know some kids can have different little habits.
About 3 weeks ago,one of my grown daughters,told me that she just saw a bug in my 13yr old daughter's hair.I checked.Yes, head lice.That brought a "Yuck" & sigh about the work I had ahead.... 3 of my daughters still at home have VERY long,thick hair.We did what we needed to do,along with notifying everyone that could have been exposed.Finding it was explained it to this boy & his mom.It appeared to be no problem & he was suppose to be checked.
Several days later, this boy shows up.On a whim,I asked to check his head with the explaination that I just wanted to be sure.Okay,it was bad.I barely looked at his hair.His hair was full of eggs.I also instantly saw several "critters" crawling.I sent him home with an thorough explaination of how to take care of his hair & their house to clear up the problem.I said he could not come back until it had been taken care of & every egg out of his hair.Oh, as it turns out his mother didn't think he needed to be checked since he had been checked last year in school!
A week later,he shows up again.Of course,I asked to check his head.Nope,it wasn't taken care of.A few days ago,he came back.It's AWFUL! If he was my son,I would probably shave his head at this point!He said that his mom says he just has dandruff.Sorry that doesn't crawl!
We homeschool.This kid is in public school; Middle School. I don't know how often they check for lice at that level.This kid is infested.You can stand in front of him & see the eggs.It's obvious that his mother has no intention of taking care of this.I also realize now that his scratching his head wasn't a habit.
I'm at my wits end.This family could be spreading this all over town.Sure I'm keeping them away from my family.But,what about goodness only knows who else they are spreading it to. What would you do?
Sorry this is so long!
2 people like this
12 responses
@speakeasy (4171)
• United States
31 Aug 07
Notify the boys school and social services.
The school can probably react faster and check the other children he is coming into contact with on a daily basis.
Social services - while this is not abuse; it is a type of neglect. Having them look into the situation will determine whether there are other problems in the home and impress on the mother the importance of taking proper care of her children.
3 people like this
@Foxxee (3651)
• United States
1 Sep 07
I don't think social service would do anything about it. They really can't. Just because someone has headlice doesn't mean they are dirty or unfit. I use to work in childcare and we had a little boy with headlice, we had to keeep sending him home and he had them bad. My director called social services and they said they couldn't do nothing about headlice and to just not let the kid back until he was treated.
I just think the school could push the issue because he needs schooling and if he doesn't come to school, then social service can be called.
@SweetTrix (1071)
• United States
2 Sep 07
That is true, and the school just sends him back home if he is not treated. Also lice can even be on the cleanist head. They like clean heads better since it is easier to move around compared to dirty heads where there is dirt they have to crawl through.
@gapeach65 (805)
• United States
31 Aug 07
I've noticed everyone has the same response I was thinking about, calling the school or social services, you could also check to see if there's a local health department that might be able to step in. Lice can be a big mess and they spread fairly easily, I'm sure the other parents in the area would appreciate the alert. I went through a similar situation about 15 years ago, my daughter had a friend that had lice and we didn't find out until my children got them, I treated them and got rid of them fast, then the little girl casually said, "hey, me and my brother had those"...I was mortified that her mother not only let her kids play with others while infested, but didn't tell us about it. I called the school and explained (without using any names) the situation, the following day a letter went home to alert the parents that there was a child in school that had head lice and explained how to check for them and how to treat them and to keep our children home if we found any, until they were cleared up. I hope this helps, good luck and keep checking your children for another week or so, just to make sure they don't have any show up.
@embattledsparkle (1072)
• United States
31 Aug 07
I agree with everyone's suggestions. I would call the school first because he's exposing everyone else to lice. I'm surprised that the school hasn't noticed it. Does he appear to come from a poor family? If so and I could afford it I would buy a lice kit for him. I'd pretend like "Oh hey, we have an extra one of these. Why don't you take this home for you and your parents to use?" I know that if his bedding wasn't changed and stuff he'd get the problem again but... I don't know. Maybe they'd wise up. If it still is like this after a few more days, then I'd consider calling CPS and asking their advice, if you should report it to them.
3 people like this
@carissa765 (1097)
• United States
1 Sep 07
Everyone pretty much saiud everything I would have said. I would probably even go as far as to treat him myself. I would treat him at my home with tomato soup, because if they are that bad, usual methods really don't work. tomato soup will pull everything out, even all the nits.(eggs)
Another thing you can use.(sounds bad but it VERY true) cat shampoo. not too much just enough to lather and rinse. make sure it is the formula that kills lice though. This is a cheaper allternative to lice treatment kits that can be upwards 20 dollars or more depending on the lenghth and thickness of your hair.
I never once my entire cjildhood had headlice. wasn't until I turned 18 and started working for the phone company that all this happened to me.I treated it with the cat shampoo. Worked really well.
Don't appologize for it being so long. They tell you to be as discriptive as possible.LOl
The next step I would take would be to call all of the aformetioned people. Thank you for the interesting topic.
@carissa765 (1097)
• United States
1 Sep 07
And you were right my head is itching now just thinking about it. I am going to have to check my head and my kids' heads now. THANKS A LOT...LMFAO JJ
2 people like this
@candy111 (240)
• Philippines
31 Aug 07
Living in a third world country, what you are describing is not so unusual here. I would suggest reposting it to their school nurse or to the principal of the school the boy is attending as it is a health concern not only for that kid but to all others. I don't know much else about this kid's life at home, his upbringing, socio-exonomic status, but you may want to assess all of this and consider whether this kid is in a environment of neglect or even abuse that it should be reported to the proper authorities. Seems like you have already tried conveying the concern to the kid and through him to his parents, might be time to move up a notch and report it to higher authorities
@angzter86 (10)
• Philippines
1 Sep 07
I am a nurse by profession in a third world country. I would notify the school about the problem for damage control and if permitted, conduct a voluntary scheduled home visit to the home of the infested boy. I will give health teachings to the whole family that lice infestation is ABNORMAL and describe to them that DUNDRUFF is far more different from lice eggs. Besides, dundruff do not have any insects moving around the head. Health education is the key, because it seems that even the parents are ignorant. It is more likely that they are also infected with lice. I may give a free sample medicated shampoo as treatment and guidelines how to clear the house from infection. I would emphasize that for the meantime they should isolate from the community until they are appropriately treated. Hope it works!:)
2 people like this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
1 Sep 07
I have heard of this, and I have seen this happen in school. I have seen it in the schools that I went to, but somehow I never had the problem. I was never exposed to headlice, and I never got it. I guess I have been lucky.
@Foxxee (3651)
• United States
1 Sep 07
I would call his mother and tell her that it is in fact head lice and let her know she has to have it treated or it will never go away.
Another thing is, you could call the school he goes to and let them know the story, they will make sure it's taken care of.
I would also tell the mother to shave his head if it's that bad off.
It really doesn't take that much effort to get rid of head lice. You just can't be lazy about it.
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
1 Sep 07
Yep, been there, done that. If you have kids in school, odds are 50/50 you'll encounter this issue at least once. If the boy's mother is not taking care of it, as one poster said, he may not have said anything to his mother out of embarrassment. You should talk to the mother yourself. Aslo, call the school if it is in session already and they will probably do a school wide screening. Idon't think social services is an answer because basicaly I dont believe in the authority of such agencies myself but definately call the school and the parents.
1 person likes this
@nmhschic2004 (1238)
• United States
1 Sep 07
I dont think schools check for it as much as they should. Around here they check a lot when in grade school but after that i dont think they really check. Maybe someone from the school can talk to his parents? Its worth a try. Its amazes me that his parents dont care enough to get rid of it for him. I cant imagine how the poor kid is dealing with it!
@bumblinbetty31 (121)
• Philippines
1 Sep 07
Sit the mother down or phone her. Offer to donate some anti-lice shampoo, maybe even pay for a doctor's visit if you can afford it. Make sure you speak directly to the mom. It's possible the boy didn't tell his mother. Explain that you only care for the well-being of all the children in the neighborhood (yours and hers included). If the mother still doesn't care, speak to the nurse at the school. She's obligated to take care of the problem (to prevent an infestation in the school). Whatever you do, don't take it out on the boy. He's just a kid. I had lice when I was in 5th grade. It was very embarrassing. My mom and aunt eventually took care of it but I wish they had done it sooner.
@here2learn (210)
• United States
1 Sep 07
If I were you and this boy was always at my house, I would take care of his lice problem as much as I could. I would feel sorry for him because his mother is obviously not very attentive to him. I, also understand that you have kids of your own. So then either warn other people with kids and keep him away from your family or help him yourself.
