Lice? Yuck. Ain't Nobody Got No Time For That.

Yesterday, when I picked up Ollie from his Mommy's Day out Program, I was informed that he was in a class with a little girl who had lice.  I was stunned.  Shocked into silence.  When the shock wore off, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach.  Lice?  People flees? My son might have them? OH HELL NO! (Clearly, I am a first-time mom.)



The director of the program said that the little girl got them at church, and that Ollie and the three other children that came in contact with her had been check, and all did not appear to have eggs or symptoms.  I put on my best, It's OK face, but I am sure it looked more like my, shit!, face.  Lice?  People flees?  I just couldn't get over it.  I honestly had not ever thought about Ollie getting them before.  I've aways worried about him catching colds and stomach flus at school, but lice?  Nope. The thought never crossed my mind.  I gathered up Ollie, and smiled and said it was OK, and off we went... to call the doctor STAT!


The whole ride home I was sure I was covered is lice.  I was scratching all over and could feel the things crawling on me.  Yes, I am that neurotic.  The minute we got home I called his pediatrician and explained the situation and asked for next steps. The nurse told me that since he did not share a hat or brush with the little girl, I should not be too worried, since lice cannot jump, but to keep an eye out for the eggs, aka nits, attached to the hair shaft at the scalp and base of the neck and behind the ears. The eggs can be yellow, white or brown--and hatch 1-2 weeks from being laid. GROSS! GROSS! GROSS! She said to also watch him for constant itching or a rash which is a reaction to bites and the Lice's saliva. Last, she said to calm down, lice will not kill him or scar him for life, only me freaking out will, and to call immediately if signs of lice occurred for treatment options. Per the nurses recommendations, I calmed down, but still wanted to throw up.



I checked Ollie's head, and when I felt sure I could see no signs of the nits, I put him down for his nap.  I called FTD to fill him in on the goings on and got an, "Eh, let's just shave his head. Problem solved." Did I mention that FTD works at a Kindergarten through 8th grade school for children with special 'learning differences,' so very little surprises him when it comes to children. And even less will get a rise out of him.  He was able to get me to realize that we have a kid, lice are normal run of the mill things, this kind of scare is going to happen ten more times before he goes to high school, so calm down and stop calling them, people flees. 

FTD is right... I spent an hour all huffy and puffy and ready to call in a HAZMAT team over something that may or may not amount to much of anything. I'd be lying if I said I was cool with it now, because I am not, I am still checking Ollie's head every twenty minutes and itching my own head every twenty seconds, but, I do see the error of my ways. Freaking out or not, this whole lice thing is going to run it's course.  I have just got to try to relax and let it work through and if nits show up, call the doc and deal. Full stop.

You know, as if day-to-day parenting is not hard enough... we have to have these stupid curve balls thrown at our heads from time-to-time too.  I know the curve ball hurts a whole lot worse when you make a big deal out of it before it even a big deal in the first place... but sometimes I forget when the curve ball is super gross and takes all kinds of work to deal with...



April is an award-winning writer and blogger. Her work has been published in over ten countries and four languages. From books to newspapers, to print/online magazines and everything in between, you can find her work. For more on April, Visit AprilMcCormick.com