How to Keep Your Kids Lice Free

by Deborah Cruz on March 1, 2012

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We are all familiar with head lice. The beastly tiny insects that live on the scalp. Lice can be spread by close contact with other people. Head lice may also be found in eyebrows and eyelashes. Ewww!

In my opinion, it happens to be one of the creepiest things kids pick up at school. I have two little girls with long hair so I spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to keep my girls lice free.

Here are a few tips that I’ve picked up along the way:

Lice can’t jump or fly. Lice move by walking and are only spread between heads when they are close enough that hairs can touch. Remind children to keep their heads out of close proximity to others.

Children with long hair are less likely to catch lice if their hair is tied back in a ponytail or a braid.

Soaking hair ties in tea tree oil reduces the risk of catching lice.

Teach your children not to share hairbrushes, hats, dress ups clothes, combs, towels, pillows, linens and loveys because they can transmit lice.

As a preventative measure, tea tree oil can be added to normal shampoos and conditioners. This can help kill lice before they can lay eggs.

Photo Source: Gilles San Martin

  • http://www.thepreppygirlinpink.com Kristen

    It’s going around my girls’ school right now. Thanks for the tips. I have been trying to keep their super long hair back too while I know their are actual confirmed cases. They are WAY over it so I will offer the tea tree solutions to give them a break from putting it up and will just tell them to stay a good distance away so there is no close contact.

  • http://www.twobearsfarm.com Lisa @ Two Bears Farm

    Ick. So far no issues here, but with 3 boys I know it’s bound to happen at some point.

  • http://momhomeguide.com MomHomeGuide.com

    There have been a few outbreaks of head lice in my children’s school, so I try to always keep my kids’ hair pulled back. Also, when there are outbreaks, the teachers have the kids put their backpacks in plastic bags so the lice can’t be spread in their shared cubbies.

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