5 Steps to Tackle Lice When it Hits Your House

Guest Blogger - Dawn Mucci, Lice Squad

What To Do When Head Lice Hits your Family?

1.      Don’t panic but act quickly.  Get your hands on a good lice comb and some natural treatments.  Education and accurate information is key.  Lice Squad Canada can direct you to many options. 

2.      Begin treating and combing.  I recommend that you treat every 4^th to 5^th day with a pesticide free solution and that you comb every second day for two weeks.   If you are thorough on your first comb through you can eliminate most of the infestation.  However, you need to do a two week follow up to interrupt the life cycle of the head louse and to prevent being re-infested.  Chances are you may be in contact with the source that gave you head lice during that two week period so follow up is required. 

3.      Environmental Care.  There are four simple ways to tackle your environment.  Vacuum area exposed to the head, dry heat items exposed to the head or set the items aside for 24 to 48 hours.  Lice will die without a blood mean after 24 hours.  No need to bag up toys and items for two weeks.  There are some environmental sprays and cleaners but I would avoid those with a pesticide base.   Remember that lice are living on your and not in your environment.  Your time is better spend combing and nit picking than cleaning. 

4.      Report.   Don’t let the STIGMA associated with head lice stop you from advising your child’s school, camp, day care or other families that you have been in contact with.  If you don’t do this you stand a good chance of getting the lice back from its original source.  It is the stigma associated with head lice that perpetuates the problem and the right thing to do is not let the stigma keep you from doing what is necessary to stop the spread.  You must be open and honest and let others know so they too can check and treat if necessary.

5.      Follow up.  Even after you do your two week course of treatment it is a good idea to Take a Peak Once a Week.  If you catch a lice infestation early you will have more luck getting rid of it before it becomes too overwhelming.   

I started Lice Squad Canada to put an end to the STIGMA associated with head lice and to stop the over use and abuse of pesticides on children and our planet.  This is what I experienced as a mother myself when I first went through it with my own kids and it is what I went through as a child.  I was traumatized by head lice in both cases and I felt alone, dirty, frustrated and angry.  I don’t want this for any parent or child in 2011 or beyond.   This has become my mission and it truly is the most meaningful work that I have ever done in my life.  Some may think what I do for a living is gross or odd but it provides me with great joy and fulfillment and I actually have allot of fun with it!