When a child comes home with head lice, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed or even ashamed. Don’t get discouraged, though. Always remember, head lice are extremely common. This is especially true in elementary school settings where kids are in close contact. While inconvenient, lice are manageable. They’re also largely preventable. With a few consistent habits, you can help protect your child and avoid the inconvenience and potential shame altogether.
Conduct Regular Hair Checks
Set a routine to check your child’s scalp weekly. Focus on the nape of the neck and behind the ears. These areas are lice’s favorite hiding spots. Keep lice-treatment products on hand with active ingredients like tea tree oil or rosemary oil. You can also use a preventative approach: massage your child’s scalp weekly using a carrier oil (like almond or castor oil) mixed with a few drops of tea tree or rosemary oil. This soothing practice not only nourishes the scalp but also creates an unwelcoming environment for lice.
Use Protective Hairstyles
For many children, it’s easier to wear hairstyles with the hair pulled out of their faces to prevent breakage and keep it out of their faces. But in the case of lice prevention, styles like buns, braids, and ponytails reduce hair-to-hair contact. These styles work well for boys and girls with longer hair. For children with short cuts, keeping hair trimmed low can also help. When the hair is contained and less exposed, lice have fewer opportunities to transfer.
Discourage Sharing Personal Items
While sharing is often encouraged, it’s best to set limits when it comes to personal items. Teach your child not to share brushes, scarves, and hats with people outside of your household. Additional items to keep personal include hoodies, headphones, and hair ties. Label their belongings clearly with their name. With a clear label, you’ll help items stay with the rightful owner and reduce accidental swaps. Teach your children to speak up if they have the wrong item, so the items can be swapped back to the rightful owner.
Encourage Personal Space
Teach your child about healthy boundaries. Remind them to avoid unnecessary physical contact. In the case of avoiding head lice, teach your child to avoid head-to-head interactions during reading time, group play, or quiet time on the classroom mat. If another child tries to touch their hair, teach them to politely but firmly say no.
Stay Calm If Lice Appear
If your child does catch lice, there’s no need for shame. Call the school nurse promptly. Ask for discretion to avoid embarrassing your child. Begin treatment immediately using a lice shampoo or home remedy. You can take a professional approach as well. Contact a head lice professional if you’d like assistance in making sure full removal occurs.
As a parent, you have so much to navigate when you’re dealing with head lice. In addition to remaining calm and proactive, make sure your child knows they did nothing wrong. Most importantly, reassure your child that lice are not a reflection of their cleanliness. With a bit of care and consistency, the issue can be resolved quickly and privately. If your children don’t see you panic as you make and follow a treatment plan, they will be less likely to see the experience as a bad thing or have a meltdown.
