Helpful Hints for Managing Head Lice

Head lice commonly occur in young children and as such, at the beginning of the school year, it is good practice to remind parents about detection and management.  The best way to detect and manage head lice is for parents to check their children's heads on a regular basis throughout the year.  The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has prepared information for parents available here and here.  Parents may also contact a public health nurse at 204-940-2040.

Also, there is a new product out there called Nyda.  It is brilliant and very effective!  It is not a pesticide like the other products so there is no chance of the lice building resistance and we avoid the harmful effects of using pesticides over and over.  It’s an oil based product.  Lice have 13 breathing holes on their backs and eggs have one.  Basically what this product does is penetrates the respiratory system of the live lice and eggs and suffocates them.  It is a 2 dose treatment like the others, given 7 days apart.  It comes in a small spray bottle- one usually is enough for both treatments depending on the length of the hair.  It is simply sprayed onto dry hair, combed through, and left on for 8 hours.  Then the hair is combed through with a lice comb and all the dead lice and eggs literally fall out.  Then hair is washed and the treatment is repeated in 7 days.  The product is more expensive than the others but it is 100% effective if done properly.  Approximately $36.00 for one bottle- generally enough for two treatments. If your family needs help affording treatments, please call the school. We would gladly help: 204-832-1359.