Moms Anxiety

I'm the same way. My GD had head lice in December. I am still scoping her out with a microscope. Every time I comb her hair, I'm looking through it. She was invited to spend this week (no school) with my sister. The first thing that came to mind is "oh, I can't let her go; she had head lice!" That was 2 months ago and she hasn't had a nit or itch since! I think only time will help. You're not alone!

I don't know the answer to your question, but I just kind of feel like you can't live like this forever (...right??) & eventually you'll calm down about it. You understand that you can't control everything, you said yourself that you realize it's not the end of the world. Yes, it's yucky, but you lived through it once & if you had to, you'd do it again. Diving yourself crazy with this anxiety isn't actually helping to keep the lice away. The sooner you talk that simple fact into your own head, the sooner you'll be able to let it go is my guess! :)

My daughter had it a few months ago and I still get the ebbie-jeebies when I think about it. I have become proactive against it and I remind myself that I am doing all I can. If she gets it again, so be it. And remember to pat yourself on the back; you won the battle against lice once and you can do it again. :-)

Just like anything else with parenting: I can take all the safety measures that I can, but if something 'bad' happens, I will deal with it.

Precautions that I take now include:
Hair combed back in a ponytail/bun/braid
I now use hair gel and/or hairspray in her hair
I blow dry her hair 1x week
Use coconut shampoo and conditioner
Use leave in conditioner
Do head checks often

Good Luck!

I would work hard to get over it b/c your anxiety will seep into your child. I know a woman who very openly says that she has issues w/ anxiety and her 8 yo daughter is now a VERY anxious child.

It's horribly debilitating ... try and talk to someone so it doesn't get worse.

Oh I hear you LOUD and clear! When my girls had it I was the same way. I discovered a product called quitknitts. The only place I have seen it, is CVS and Walgreens. It is a natural product, and it really works! They have a spray you can put in everyday to help repel the lice. I use it and we haven't had lice ever again! When other kids in the class get it, we have not. One bottle lasts quite a while. There is also a product called fairytales for kids hair products (also natural). They sell a shampoo, conditioner and spray also. I don't like the smell of the shampoo/conditioner, but the spray seems to work. It really gives me piece of mind to know we have that layer of protection. I still freak a little when I hear that someone has it, but not as much as before! I NEVER want to go through having lice again! Hope this helps!

cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_product_detail.jsp?skuId=444790&productId=444790&WT.mc_id=Shopping_Feed_Products_Google_Free_Listing

Don't wash your daughter's hair as often. Nits prefer very clean hair. ("Prefer" can be read as "stick better to".)

I understand exactly what you are going through! I went through the exact same thing you are going through 3 years ago when my daughter got it. This is going to sound ridiculous but it is one of the hardest things I ever went through. And it's not like I've been through worse...my daughter had open heart surgery at 13 months old but something about this experience...it's awful and made me very anxious also and now I have this "fear" about it. The good news you will eventually calm down as time passes and not feel so anxious. I'm not as "crazy" with checking her hair and washing everything like I was after it first happened. I still worry when she sleeps over a friend's house, etc. but I have calmed down. I still remind her (and she knows all this) not to use other people's brushes, hair accessories, etc. She wears her hair in a ponytail (most days) to school. When we go to places like the Please Touch Museum she knows not to wear the play hats or put on the play jackets. At parties or at school I don't like my kids' coats to touch other kids' coats. I still worry sometimes when we go to the movies or the doctor's office because of the chairs. I know crazy but it's always in the back of my mind. I know we can't live like this but it can't hurt to be a little cautious. I'm a lot better...like I said you will calm down eventually. After it first happened to my daughter I had nightmares about it for awhile! My sister just told me her friend's daughter has lice and I got panicky (we don't live near them) but just hearing about it brings it all back. It is hell getting it out of their hair (my daughter had long hair)...hours every other night washing it with that stuff, then combing them out...it's horrible. The clean up is a nightmare...washing everything numerous times, cleaning the couches, the cars, etc. and you have to do this for weeks until they're all gone. It's not easy especially when you have other younger kids to look after and work full time. I was devastated too and cried a lot. I never want to go through that again. I thought I was the only one so anxious about it...glad to know we're not alone! I am a lot better though so just give yourself time and you will start to feel better and not be so anxious.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001843/

this may help

I grew up in the poorest county in my state and attended public school with children who lived in squalor-dirt floors and all. My children attended the finest private schools in one of the wealthiest counties (among the top 5) in the nation-and they got head lice! I was shocked-but they got over it-and so did I-and so will you! It seems to occur when they're young. It's exasperating with all the precautions and laundry-but you'll get though this!