A mother describes her experience treating her two daughters' head lice. Her daughters were 6 years old and 3 years old.
Figure 1.
J C REVY/SPL
What was the diagnosis like?
My older daughter had long hair and had severe itching by the time we realised what was going on. I tried over the counter remedies, but the lice did not go away. My younger daughter and I also developed lice, and the treatment [permethrin] didn't work. My paediatrician (who I really like) had no suggestions. I felt lost and hysterical. I did things that I now know were a bad idea, like treating furniture with insecticide spray, re-treating my children with medication that didn't work, and trying herbal remedies. The school kept sending my daughter home and instructing me to treat her again. We ultimately cut her hair (and mine and my other daughter's) and used mechanical techniques to remove the eggs. The process went on for months.
What was treatment like?
My children didn't really understand what was going on. The over the counter medicines were painless, but the “nit picking” was torture. My older daughter was humiliated by the way the school nurse treated her.
What is it like to live with this condition?
It is very isolating. There are few places to turn for information or support. School no-nits policies add to the feeling of isolation and shame.
What would you tell other people?
The most important things I learned are that lice are not spread on clothing or hats so there is no role for washing these. Also, if a medication is applied correctly but does not work, it is not going to work and it is harmful to use it again. If I had it to do over again, I would also avoid using unproved complementary therapies without first understanding the potential harms. Although dealing with lice can be humiliating, you have to keep telling yourself that this is a common, harmless condition.