Head Lice

As most of you are aware head lice has been reported here in school.  Would ALL parents please check their child’s head regularly and if they find head lice please treat as soon as possible. 

Head lice are tiny grey/brown insects roughly 2-4mm long.  They move fast and can be difficult to see.  The females lay eggs every day.  Each egg, about the size of a pinhead, is firmly attached to a hair close to the scalp.  They take 7 days to hatch and then live for about a month.  Head lice move from person to person during head to head contact only.

Head lice live on just a little blood which they get by biting the scalp.  Their bites leave tiny red spots (another tell-tale sign of head lice) and these can itch intensely but usually only after lice have been present for several weeks.

If you already have these unwelcome visitors, the first step is to get an effective treatment which will kill the lice, and to treat ALL THE FAMILY WITH IT.

There is a cost free way of keeping on top of head lice.  When washing your child’s hair, use a good dollop of conditioner and comb through using a nit comb.

If we spot head lice at school our policy is that we send a text out to the whole school advising parents. 

Head Lice Home Remedy

Tree Tea Oil

Tea tree essential oil is a natural insecticide, making it an effective treatment for head lice.

1. Mix together one teaspoon of tea tree oil, one ounce of natural shampoo and three tablespoons of coconut or olive oil.
2. Apply the solution gently throughout your hair and cover your head with a shower cap or towel. Leave your head covered for a half an hour and then rinse thoroughly with hot water.
3. Finally, comb through your hair while it is still wet to remove the dead lice.

Note: Do not apply tea tree oil directly to the scalp.