Heads Up, Parents, It's Lice Season!

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Have you seen this parasite sucking blood from your child's head? Not yet maybe, but be vigilant. While there's no major lice outbreak to report in the city's schools so far, there's still reason to be afraid, because the critters are becoming immune to insecticides used in prescription and over the counter lice treatments. In fact, lice experts tell the Daily News it takes just three to five years for lice to adapt to a new product.

Some products still work some of the time, but parents mustn't hold back on the nitpicking! (For those who didn't know, this is where that word—often used to describe weblog commenters—comes from: nits are the 1/16 inch long louse eggs.) Though a Department of Education spokesperson insists the number of children with lice remains below the average 5% mark, we're curious if you've recently picked any nits from your kids' heads. Also, does anyone reading this actually have offspring?

Parents, have you seen this parasite sucking blood from your child's head? Not yet maybe, but be vigilant. While there's no major lice outbreak to report in the city's schools so far, there's still reason to be afraid, because the critters are becoming immune to insecticides used in prescription and over the counter lice treatments. In fact, lice experts tell the Daily News it takes just three to five years for lice to adapt to a new product.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on September 12, 2008 2:23 PM

Comments [rss]

AHT

Hair dryer. The heat kills the little buggers. Just be careful not to scorch your kid's scalp and you're good to go.

Rocknrope

I get deja vu when I read the third paragraph.

zodak

would you like to know more?

Tgirl

so, since most of us use commonly shared washing machines -ewww- how easy is it to get them that way?

NYLaughs

I cured it by shaving their heads last year. People might not consider it for girls, but it's natural, organic, and takes 5 minutes.

Peter

My head itches.

danno

Yup and yup. Two kids, three headsful of lice (them and the spouse; I was clean -- too much testosterone, I was told). There's a lovely and non-hysterical woman in Kensington (Brooklyn) who will do a careful job of lice-picking and teach you how, all without chemical shampoos.

The *real* fun part is bagging up the bedding and towels and stuffed animals and whatnot and either washing it all in hot hot hot water or sequestering it for two weeks.

Maybe a dozen kids (out of 500 or so) were sent home yesterday at my kids' public school. The real problem is that it's not like the chicken pox. There's no resistance to getting it again. And again. And again. Ick.

smarko

yeah, my kids had lice last week. tenacious fuckers, too. we were picking nits for days. it's really, really unpleasant. but it beats the shit out of crabs.

MT

At least one of your readers has kids (don't worry. I'm still relatively self-centered). No nit picking yet, thank God!

I am still traumatized by memories from childhood standing in line in grammar school - pencil in hand - waiting for my turn to be inspected by the teacher. It always made me feel so dirty that I had to provide the instrument of my inspection so the teacher wouldn't be infected. Fortunately I never got sent home. I imagine being publicly culled from the herd for having lice like that must have been mortifying for a 6 year old.