Don't you hate it when parents send children to school with headlice.
By superchook
@superchook (1786)
Australia
January 27, 2007 2:14am CST
At my children's school I have noticed that there are certain children that keep coming to school with headlice. There was one little girl that got sent home by the school because she had headlice. The next day she was back and the teacher went through her hair and found some, so she was sent home again. This actually happened for a couple of weeks. The school did the right thing by checking her hair as soon as she got there and then sending her home. I just don't understand how the parents didn't do anything about it. I thought it was cruel on the little girl. The girl's mother wouldn't even treat her hair, it was an older brother who is in his teens that ended up treating her for headlice. I don't know how a parent could just leave their child infested with headlice like that. You would think they would be worried about getting headlice themselves and their child being teased and left out at school. I couldn't imagine what that little girl went through, she must have been really itchy. I think the school should have reported this.
12 people like this
64 responses
@sunnypub (2128)
• United States
27 Jan 07
I do agree with you. My daughter was at a summer program and she got head lice and it turns out it was because there were siblings at the program that had been sent home three times because of head lice and the parents just kept sending them back without treating it.
I hate having to deal with it but I do deal with it. We treat our entire house and cars and everything in the house. It is a real pain but it is really important.
We also make sure that my daughter knows it is not her fault and it really isn't a bad thing for her and it doesn't mean that she has done anything wrong.
6 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
When my kids have got headlice, we treat everything too. Sometimes I wonder if some parents don't realise that they need to do that too. I tell my children that it is not their fault and there is nothing they can do to stop it from happening. I also explain to them not to share brushes and hats as this is the easiest way to get them.
It is just so annoying when you get some parents that won't treat their children and then all your child has to do is sit next to them and they are more than likely going to come home with them. Thanks!
4 people like this
@ashumit02 (818)
• United States
28 Jan 07
Sometimes worry but not always i get so.this creates a problem elsewere
@cockadoodledoo (337)
• Australia
28 Jan 07
My 7yo came home with headlice for the first and only time about 6 months ago. He was really upset and ashamed by it. It is always the same kids that come to school with nits. I spent hours doing his hair but it paid off.
4 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
28 Jan 07
I feel sorry for your child, he should not feel ashamed about it. It can be very upsetting to children, especially if they get teased. It is annoying when it the same children come to school with headlice. I feel sorry for these children too. Thanks!
3 people like this
@cloud_kicker_32 (4635)
• United States
27 Jan 07
Oh this pis$es me off so much!!I have been there!!Listen to this! First off it starts with head start,it seems this is the place where kids get it the most..well my son came home with it,and i freaked out,,i am not good with bugs and lice is way worse!so i do his hair,sheets house..everything,,hes good,,few days later i get a note.Lice is back..so i make him wear a hat to school..the teacher makes him take it off when i wrote a note stating why i want it on..well he ends up getting it again! I was soooo pis$ed off!!!!and come to find out its the same 2 kids.sister and vrother..soo i do what any mom would do..I pulled him out of that class and into the next door..i know many would call me anla but i dont care..i dont want that crap!! lol.and im itching thinking about it!and this year they are in head start again..and they are still having problems with those kids..i feel for them..butpeople wit that probem need ot keepo theer kids home if they wont fix it..do i sound mean? i dont want to be..i just fear lice..to be honest.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
I definetely agree that they need to keep them home until they are gone. It's unfair to everyone else. I know we like to teach our children to share, but not that. It's even more annoying when you know its the same children sharing their headlice all the time and you can't do anything about it. Thanks!
3 people like this
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
28 Jan 07
I think sometimes you just can't blame it on the parents or the children yea ... you never know what problems the family is facing , after all you are there to study .... what the problem with the appearance and headlice ... i seriously don't think it will affect anyone yea ..but it is always good to be clean
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
28 Jan 07
It's clean hair that lice will go for. I certainly don't blame the children. The parents though do have a responsability to look after their children. If it is money trouble, then I am sure there is someone that will help them by giving them the medicine to treat headlice. Like I said though, you can just use normal conditioner, fair enough, a lot of people don't know about that method. I don't think the children are going to concentrate on their school work if they are scratching their heads all the time. It's also the case of if one parent leaves it, then they are just going to keep on spreading them to other children and that is not fair. That's my opinion anyway. Others may not agree with me. Thanks!
3 people like this
@alchemistrx (2547)
• Philippines
27 Jan 07
Australian children can have headlice. I thought third world countries were the ones inflicted with those parasites.I hate parents who doesn't care about their children having headlices. they should take of their hair too.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
I have heard that it is a fact that headlice can be anywhere and in any country. All parents need to take the responsibility in treating their children when they have headlice. Thanks!
3 people like this
@ronita34 (3922)
• Canada
27 Jan 07
I agree that a parent should take control of this sort of situation immediately!! A child should not have to suffer due to a parents laziness!! I am glad that the school did in fact continually send her home it probably saved what could of been a much bigger problem!!!
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
Yes, I agree, it doesn't take long for them to spread around. A child should not have to suffer. Don't these parents realise the longer they leave it the worse it gets because there will be more eggs. It just makes it worse for themselves. Thanks!
3 people like this
@lpetges (3036)
• United States
27 Jan 07
that is really terrible. it is so contagious. you realy have to go through the entire house, and clean thoughrouly, before even sending this child back to school. one year my childrens shool actually had to close because the outbreak was so bad. it had to be fumigated and cleaned entirely before the kids went back. mine never got it, but since i'm a hairstylist-i always looked for it. and still do.
2 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
Wow, I haven't heard of it getting that bad at a school before. I can see how it could happen though. All it takes is to have a few inconsiderate parents. I don't think a lot of people realise that you have to clean everything as well. This means teddy's and dolls, car seats etc. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
30 Jan 07
Thanks for all this information. I wish all the schools were like the one your children attended. I think the school should have reported this. It wasn't like the mother treated this child and she got them from someone else again the next day because the teacher was checking as soon as she got there before she could get too close to the other children, but I understand what your saying, this is very possible as they do spread very easy. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@jstrickland (13)
• Australia
30 Jan 07
Hi there In victoria australia some of the schools treat the childrens hair they ask for parental permission first of course. but the school my children attended there were certain kids who would always come back with them. In the end the school nurse treated the children with permission. At least this way the child isnt looked upon and it is gettting treated. also if it isnt getting treated shouldnt the teachers report this to child welfare or someone? also i know that many times i have treated my childrens hair and the next afternoon they have them back again. if one child goes untreated at school that spreds them again and you spend numerous amounts of money all year on products to kill them.
tips:
1.comb through childs hair every night in shower or bath. use conditioner to do this.
2. get your child to always use hair spray and/or gel dont worry if they use to much! the more the better to stop them nastly little things from getting in.
3. tye long hair up, plates pony tails ect
get boys to spike or gel theres up.
@Geminigirl (1909)
• United States
28 Jan 07
Yeah headlice are the worst! I hate it when I look down and they fall in my applesauce. And then I find them in my socks! Ew! Kind of reminds me of "Ants in the pants".
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
28 Jan 07
Are you serious? Have your really looked down and had them fall in your applesauce? Have you really found them in your socks?
And maybe it should be eeeewwwwwww liciiieees! lol.
Thanks!
1 person likes this
@Strawberry_one (243)
• United States
10 Apr 07
The school should have reported it as child abuse, expecially if it had been going on for a couple of weeks. I know when I was in school I had two sisters and a brother, and usually youngest brother and sister would bring them home and we'd all get them. And yes I'm sure she was extreemly itchy. The saddest part of all of this is the fact that her parents do not care and that is evident. Either they are people who are always working or they don't give a h00t either way it goes. As for her brother treating her that was extreemly great of him. Though sometimes the lice can be extreemly hard to get rid of unless you pick all the nits out wash everything, spray everything and pretty much tent your house so to speak.
2 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
10 Apr 07
Yes I agree, the school should have reported it. As far as I know the parents just stay at home, so they really had plenty of time to do her hair. I know it can be hard to get rid of them, but they didn't even try for a long time. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@diego9774 (172)
• United States
27 Jan 07
I think that either schools should provide the treatment( i mean for god's sake it's a cheap little bottle of shampoo. Or, make it mandatory to be treated before school starts, like shots.
2 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
I think school should too. I think there are some schools that do. I also think that if the same child keeps coming back with them day after day, then they should be made to get a letter from the doctor saying that they have been checked and they are clear of them.
Last year I offered to come in every morning and go into the office area. If any children got sent home the day before, they would have to come and see me so I could go through their hair to check that they don't have any. I offered this so the children had more privacy and I was trying to keep these children away from others to reduce spreading. The school did not take me up on this offer though. It's a shame they didn't because it could have helped the situation. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
23 Feb 07
Well even if they didn't do it when school starts but when they know there is a problem, there would be less problems if they did that. There are some out there that work, you just have to find the right ones. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@PhilipGeorge (103)
• India
27 Jan 07
It is very interesting that some children comes with head lice. It is easy to treated these days, medicines are easily available. The carelessness of the parents made the child teased. The school authorities should report this on the first day itself and instruct the parents to take care. I feel very sorry for that little girl.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
That is why I use the nitcomb because they quite often will pull the eggs out. Some eggs can be hard to get out and I will pull them out with my fingers to get rid of them. I have never had a problem with this method. Some schools recommend this also because a lot of the medicated shampoo is not working as good because the lice are becoming resistant to some. As long as I make sure I get all the eggs out. I check my childrens hair everyday after school or when they have been in contact with other children. That way I know there will not be heaps of eggs if I find any.
You did bring up a good point. Thanks!
2 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
I felt sorry for the little girl too, everytime she got sent home she would cry and worry that she was going to get into trouble. You are so right, it is easy to treat. If you don't have the money to go and get it, you can actually use normal hair conditioner and a nit comb. You leave the conditioner in for about 20 minutes and it actually stuns the lice. Then you can go through with a nit comb and get the lice out, put them on a tissue then put them in the bin when your finished. Thanks!
3 people like this
@mdzafaruddin (879)
• India
28 Jan 07
that was not good to send the children back but for the good of others she has to be sent home untill she cleans her head as those headlices spread very fast among others , we have t keep this in mind and should not feel bad, though i can ubderstand that it hurts but still , what school authorities has done is good.
3 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
28 Jan 07
I agree, it must have been humiliating for the girl too. That is another reason the parents should not have sent them back to school until they had gone. They do spread very easy and there is not much a child can do to prevent it from happening. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@cockadoodledoo (337)
• Australia
28 Jan 07
I agree that what the school has done is a very good idea. Last year, a friend and I were willing to check the kids hair on return to school if they had been sent home the day before. We were wiling to go to our local council and get all the right information and do a course. The princial seemed very un interested and never got back to us. Our new school year starts tomorrow and with 2 new principals there, we will put the subject to them again and see if we get a different response.
3 people like this
@ooshlaypooshlay (204)
• United States
29 Jan 07
Ugh...I think if a child has headlice the parents should make him/her stay home. It's really gross to have lice at school since everyone can get it.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
29 Jan 07
Yes, I agree that they should stay home, it is not fair on other people and the child that has them. They do spread easily. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@jennysp8 (855)
• United States
10 Apr 07
It's chid abuse. Plain and simple. Head lice is something that anyone could catch at any time (esp. school age children) and it doesn't mean you are a dirty person. But if you don't treat it - then you are. There are parents out there that would go to he** and back for their children to make sure their lives were as safe as pleasent as possible. This woman knows her daughter has head lice, probably getting made fun of for it, is missing out on education, and is probably very itchy. And she just doesn't care!?
I would call social services in a heart beat. If she can't manage to buy the stuff to treat such a simple problem - then what else is going to happen to that little girl that the mother just won't give a "you know what" about?
The fact that the older brother stepped in to help his sister screams that the mother is abusing some sort of substance. Generally, that's what happens - they ignore their children and the children end up taking care of each other.
2 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
10 Apr 07
Obviously this mother did not care enough and it's sad when children have to take care of children. With her leaving it for so long, it must have spread through the house, so that would have made it worse for everyone and more work. So I really don't understand why they would even want to leave it. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@shooie (4984)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Yes I hated it when parents would do this. When I had the stepdaughters living with us and the youngest one would go to school. oy vey. Was forever treating her because one of her class mates would come to school. Ignorant parents. It was normally the parents that did not stay in one location for very long. They followed the seasons so there wasn't much they could do about it.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
30 Jan 07
Love the pictures you put on. Does make you feel more itchy looking at them though. I agree that the parents are ignorant. I just don't understand how they could be so ignorant though. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6751)
• Defiance, Ohio
30 Jan 07
My kids have caught it from a relative who had it and said nothing about it. I was so peeved I could of screamed. Using hair gel seemed to deter kids from getting it as the lice can't breath with hair gel or mousse. I always put hair gel in my daughters hair each morning now. She has not had it since. Nor do we see the relative who never said anything.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
30 Jan 07
I haven't heard of using hair gel or mousse before. It's good to hear that it is working too. It makes sense when you think about it, as they wouldn't be able to breath in it. That's terrible that the relative didn't even tell you. I don't blame you for being upset about it. Thanks for letting me know your great way of getting rid of them and preventing them. It's always good to know what works and what doesn't. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@JC1969 (1224)
• United States
28 Jan 07
What I hate worse is when neighborhood parents know their kid has lice, and fail to tell the other parents. Then a few weeks go by and your kid gets it. You spend weeks of the children passing it back an forth because one parent failed to tell all the others.
I think parents do this cause they don't know that lice is not from being dirty, and that was a myth you heard ages ago. Lice, in fact, only like clean hair. If more and more parents would become aware of this, and understand that sure getting lice is a pain in the butt, but it is not because you are dirty people, I think more parents wouldn't be afraid to inform the schools, inform the parents of their children's friends.
2 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
28 Jan 07
This is a very good point. Most people think that they only go to dirty hair but that's not true. You are probably right, if people realise this, they probably wouldn't be too embarrased to others, then people will be warned that their child might have them too. I wish more people realised this. I know when my children have come home with them, I always inform the school and anyone else they may have been in contact with. It is the right thing to do. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 Mar 07
Where I live if they send your child home 3 times with headlice, you are taken to jail for neglect. I love this. But it is not enforced well enough, in my daughters school. She had it countless times last year, and I found it every time. Then I called her friends to tell their parents.. I HATE lice. I do not know who was passing around, but it has stopped now. I hope it does not get back in her circle of friends.
When she was in /kindergarten, I sent her to school everyday with olive oil on her hair to keep her from getting it. Last year when it was rampant at the school, another parents sent her kids to school with oil in their hair and they sent them home. I wish I had been there! I would have so stood up for that parent. The school was not doing enough to stop it, and we had to protect our kids! I have never seen them send home a black child that wears oils in her hair, or the girls that wear gel and their hair looks dirty. It was discriminating to send those home for trying to keep from catching lice!
2 people like this
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
29 Mar 07
Does olive oil work? I have never heard of using that before. I don't understand why the school sent home the child for having oil in the hair, at least that parent was trying to do something to stop their child from getting lice. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@annepretty (584)
• Philippines
30 Jan 07
Yes i do hate parents who knows that their children have head lice and still dont treat them.children can be teased and looked down at in school for having head lice..why should they make their children suffer from their negligence.The school did the right thing for sending the kid home but if that happens again they should talk to the parents already and tell them good hygene is impt when going to school,not just for the child alone but also for the other students attending the same class.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
30 Jan 07
I agree, it is wrong and unfair on the child and other children. It is neglect. I think the school did speak to the mother because they ring up to say they need to pick up their child. It is wrong because it is not the parents that suffer, it is the child. Thanks!
1 person likes this
@Chele2k2 (241)
•
24 Feb 07
Back in there years when I attended school, we used to have what they called a nit nurse, she would come in on a frequent basis and check each child's hair for signs of headlice. Unfortunately this is no longer done, probably because a lot of schools here in the UK have had to save on cost and make cut backs.
I've noticed a problem with headlice in my children's school, sadly this is a common problem in most. Our children often come out of school with a little note, to say there has been a report of headlice in their class. Many parents don't even bother checking or treat their children's hair and send them to school anyway.
It is frustrating to say the least for all those parents that will constantly check and comb their child's hair on a regular basis! It can be a losing battle when you keep on top of the situation but others don't, it's a vicious circle that really needs to be broken.
@superchook (1786)
• Australia
24 Feb 07
Yes it is a vicious circle and very frustrating. It only takes a couple of minutes everyday to check my kids hair. At least I know if they come home with any they haven't been in there for too long and haven't had a chance to lay heaps of eggs. It makes it easier to treat then. If everybody would put in a bit of an effort in, the nit situation would probably not get so bad in schools. I think a lot of the problem is some people don't realise that everything else needs to be cleaned too, like beds, car seats etc. Thanks!
1 person likes this
