a cheap way to kill lice + a funny lice story!

Most of you who have children have experienced the lice problem, YUCK!!! It's amazing how such a small critter can uproot your life for a day or too! Anyway, if you don't want to spend an arm and a leg on lice shampoos, go to the pet aisle at the store and grab a bottle of flea and tick shampoo(most will say on the back that they kill lice too). One of my instructors gave me the tip and my sister used it on my nephews, needless to say it worked. You do have to follow up with a thorough housecleaning though!That brings me to my funny story...About 5 weeks ago my sister was nine months pregnant with her 3rd child and already experiencing light labor pains, her other two children are 3 and 15months. On this particular morning I was at her house helping to get her kids ready for school (because she was in labor PAIN) I just happened to notice nits in my oldest nephews hair when I started brushing it. Sherri took them to the doctor and sure enough they had lice. On the way back home my sister stopped by the church where my mother is the secretary and her sons attend day care. As they were pulling in the parking lot with my sister in tears(over being overdue and having to deal with the lice problem) and her husband mad about the whole ordeal, they were greated by all of the church staff who were waiting outside for the police to arrive because the church had been robbed during the night. It was at that moment that my 3 year old nephew popped his head out the window and announced at the top of his lungs (and with a smile on his face) "Hey everybody, I got bugs in my hair, wanna see"! His mommy decided not to tell him when he got pinworms the next week!

Hi Angel...Hi DianeWhoa Angel...what a story. :-)Thanks for sharing that. I think I will remember that one for a long time to come. :-)Take care, Karen>> I know exactly what you are saying. I think> lice goes to school. The first month of school> everything is alright then all of a sudden the> notes come home asking every parent to check their> children. I also know about the dog shampoo and> there is a natural type of chemical that you can> also buy.>

Hi all,Yes last year our grade school also had THE MAJOR OUTBREAK!We tried all of the standard remedies: Lindane, Kwell, Rit, nit combs. None of it was working. Also the poisons in all of these products are deadly.....Here is what worked for us.1. Lice are extremely prolific. They will get to everyone who comes in contact with the infected person and their clothes, bed, hair implements or hat, coathood. So treat everyone.My wife and I figured out that if they drink blood, we should be able to make ourselves less palatable to them.... Here is the secret: Garlic , yes we started eating garlic, and taking garlic tablets.2. Lice live for 14 days without food. (they drink blood from their host.) Their eggs take 7 days to hatch, but need to eat within 48 to 72 hours to survive.Now to keep the adult and eggs from reinfesting. You must vacume, vacume, vacume. The carpet, all the furnature: Beds, couches, chairs anything with fibers they can hide in. Pillows should be put in the clothes drier on high heat for 30 minutes as should the bedding. Lice and their eggs can't survive in this high of heat. (This saves from having to wash everything.) Clothes and hats can also be treated this way.We were rid of them within a week. We have not had any recurrences. This also helped others at the school.Mike> Don't do this! Never, never, never! This can be> extremely hazardous to a childs (or an adult's)> health! Even lice shampoos designed for and tested on> humans can have serious side effects, especially on> small children. Pet shampoos are not tested on humans,> and are not subject to the same restrictions as> products marketed for humans. They can cause serious> or even fatal reactions.> If your child does get lice, call a pediatrician and> ask him or her what product is best for a child of> that age. With more and more young children in> daycare, there are now products on the market which> are designed for younger children. Be especially> careful if the child has scratched his or her head -> open scratches can allow more toxic chemicals to enter> the bloodstream.> Also, a pregnant woman should never apply a lice> shampoo if someone else is available to do it. She> should get her husband, mother, father, neighbor,> older child, or whoever to do it instead. Exposure to> such chemicals could be harmful to the unborn child.> If she has lice herself (not unlikely, if her children> have it), she should consult her obstetrician about> what product to use, and follow his or her> instructions exactly.> This really is important. Head lice do not need to be> a big deal, but the effects of treating the problem> incorrectly can cause real harm.> Laura Jane> lswanson@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu