Must-Haves for Your Lice Prevention Tool Kit

Learn everything you need to know about lice prevention and how to handle it if an infestation does hit your family.

It is the start of a new school year which means lice prevention might be on your mind.  I know it seems to be flooding my Facebook newsfeed!  Thankfully we have yet to have an issue, but there are some precautions you can take to help prevent a lice infestation.  Schools and daycares are a petrie dish of stuff that your child can come home with.  Hopefully you can take these prevention methods and avoid her bringing bugs home!

Essentials for Your Lice Prevention Tool Kit

Prevention

Sharing is not caring

We all want our kids to learn how to share.  What we don’t think about is to tell them what not to share.  This is a very easy way for lice to spread!  No one wants to share lice.  While you are teaching your kids to share, be sure to tell them not to share things that they use on their head.  Combs, brushes and hair clips are all things that they can be stingy with.  Also, hats and bike helmets should not be shared.  A couple things I never thought about not sharing (well in terms of lice) are towels and earbuds or headphones.  You don’t really want to share those anyways, for other sanitary reasons, but they could also be a transfer station for lice.

Related: Simple Measures To Get Rid Of Lice And To Prevent Re-attack

Keep your distance

Kids love contact.  I know my daughter is always hugging her friends and they put their heads together for selfies too.  Limiting physical contact is a great way to help prevent the spread of lice.  Keeping their hands to themselves will help stop the spread of germs in general, but lice is not like a cold.

Backpacks and common areas

Schools typically have their own protocol when it comes to a lice outbreak, but making sure your child’s backpack and coat are not going to be used as a bus for lice, they should have their own space such as a cubby or locker.  Schools these days are pretty good about a child having his own space.

Treatment

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You have taken all precautions, taught your child to be stingy and selfish with combs and earbuds, yet she still comes home with lice.  What do you do?

First of all, treat everyone at the same time.  This means anyone with an active infestation.  Make sure everyone in the household and especially those who might share a bed, get a thorough check for lice.  It might go without saying, but wash all bedding and clothing.    

The CDC says that you do not want to use shampoo or conditioner before applying the lice medicine.  In addition, do not wash the hair for 1-2 days after the treatment is applied.  I would listen to this advice!  You don’t want those nasty parasites coming back.  So what do you use and where do you get it?

You can purchase over-the-counter treatments at your local pharmacy.  Here are a few you can check out:

  • LiceMD Lice & Egg Treatment is great for removal of lice and eggs.  It is silicone based and contains no pesticides, so it is safe for adults and kids.  This product does admit that there is no proof that it cures lice, but it does help in the removal.
  • RID Complete Lice Elimination Kit comes with everything you need to rid your child of lice (no pun intended).  You do want to follow the instructions to make sure the kit works properly, which means repeating the treatment 7-10 days after the first one.
  • Pronto Plus is also a complete kit for the removal of lice.
  • Nix is the product everyone has typically heard of when it comes to lice and egg treatment.  They claim to prevent reinfestation for up to 14 days.  I have never heard anything bad about this product.

Lice is a scary thing.  Bugs.  I don’t like bugs.  Thankfully there are ways it can be prevented and should your child come home with lice, there are products out there to help you quickly get rid of the bugs and their eggs.

Has your child come home with lice before?  What have you done to help prevent a lice infestation?  Share your bug stories and lice prevention tips below!

14 thoughts on “Must-Haves for Your Lice Prevention Tool Kit”

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  4. When i was young I had a lice problem and thinking about it now, it was sooo disgusting :)) Thankfully that phase is over for a long time already but I know that the young ones like my nieces will encounter this or are encountering it. So thanks for your tips! I will definitely let them know :)

  5. Man I used to get lice all the time in school. It was so discusting. I did also love to climb trees so my parents blamed that. Luckily I never had them as an adult, but if my kids ever got them id know what to do.

  6. My daughter is in preschool now but I worry once she starts in regular school things will be different. We do have preventive shampoos that we use. I’m just glad that there are products available to help against lice.

  7. Oh man just hearing the word lice makes my head itch! These all sound like great products to help get rid of lice. We had friends who struggled to get rid of it when their daughter got it from school.

  8. Knock on wood, we have been lice free. I really make sure to educate my kids not to share their personal items like brushes, combs, hats, and even things like coats or sweatshirts. So far it has worked, but as I former teacher I know anyone can get them, so it’s great to be prepared.

  9. I can remember years ago, back when my oldest daughter ( now 28) was in grade school and a hair dresser told me she had lice. I freaked out. Knew nothing about it. Now, I know purchasing and using the correct products can make all the difference.

  10. Not very many African Americans get head lice since we use oils and sheens in our hair, HOWEVER a few years back my daughter came home from school with lice. Not only did we have to treat her, but we had to wash all bedding, clothing and stuffed animals. Thankfully she was the only one out of 6 kids to get it, and hopefully the last.

  11. I have never had lice but it’s real out there. My parenting editor sees it all the time with her kids so she is an expert. I would hate if I had it with a lot of hair can you imagine whew

  12. I feel so lucky that I’ve never experienced lice personally. It would be especially awful since I have long hair. I will have to remember this information if I am every unlucky and lice enters my house.

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