Nits

Oh and just for a little upper-bit-of-fun Felix now also has nits (eggs) and the headlice nicely shared from his generous big brother.

Arghhh! They are the most horrible things. Ever. The eggs are so small you can't see then, and they are sticky, they stick to the root of the hair shaft. The fine toothed combs, nine times out of ten, are not fine enough to pull them off. So for every few strands of hair I need to go over several painstaking times (whilst wiping the comb free of eggs beteewn every stroke so as to prevent re-infection). Leave just one egg and that one hatches and lays eggs (over 100 within 3 days) and then they hatch out and so on. Just from one little left behind egg. It's impossible.

I am seriously thinking about trying to persuade the boys to cut their hair really, really short. But, they really like having long hair. And yet they have already told me 1) they don't like their heads itching from the nits and yes they want them out, but 2) they can't abide the combing....?????

I have tried lots of solutions which kill the lice but not the eggs. So rather pointless to use apart from stopping any itching for a few days (itching caused by lice sucking the blood from scalp). I have spent a mini fortune on natural products online. Yet, when I look at info on the regular pesticide based solutions (which I remember having as a child - once) studies from BMJ and such point out that they don't work, or when they do it's on small numbers like 13% of subjects. And that the harmful chemicals in them have been linked to increases in childhood lukemia and other nasties. All info points to 1) shaving the head or 2) vigourous daily combing.

Currently we comb once or twice a week if I am in luck and have willing subjects. Even then I have to bribe (can I say 'tempt' instead?) statue-still boys with treats in the form of unusual snacks, new toys and new dvd's. So yeah, another mini fortune spent on staying-still 'temptations'.

I have read so many success stories online with many of the products I have tried and am just thinking what?

Answer: These people must be lying.

Can't face the thought of self being less then miraculous wielding my powerfully round shaped stainless steel super-comb, or shoddy in the solution sloshing department.

The next time we are near school children it's hair tied up with headscarf knotted for extra protection. Of course that will be our strategy when when I get rid of our current new hatchlings. Or should Don and I volunteer to shave our heads in sympathy too? It really is getting desperate. Felix would hate it if I did that though. He already cried once this week - he noticed I had tinted my eyelashes.

Are you my real muumy or her naughty sister Clarabelle?

Er.... I''m your REAL mummy.

Well please go and wash your face again to get those nasty eyes off.


Really. Beautifying effects amount to zero in this house as achieve same results from Felix when I attempt to sneak a bit of mascara past his beady eyes.

Better stick to the (unfound as yet) baser joys of de-lousing. Shudder.