How to tell people your child got lice

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This is not something I would have thought about before becoming a nursing student and it's cultural competence. So there's a little Burmese girl that my daughter plays with and her parents are first generation here and hardly speak English.

I just found out the other day that my daughter has picked up head lice, I'm not sure where she picked it up, it could've been from ANYWHERE. She's been to summer camp, with friends, and we've gone in vacation. I've told everyone we have been around in the last few weeks and they are all clear so far. The only people I haven't told is the Burmese family. Is there a certain way I should approach them or do I just come out with it? I know it needs to be told just incase she does have them, either being the one who gave them to my daughter or possibly my daughter spreading them to her. Honestly I won't feel comfortable with them playing until the little girl is cleared. My worry is that they will view this horribly and not allow the kids to play anymore. Maybe I'm overreacting but I'm not really sure of their cultural view on this topic, or even if there is a "cultural view" about it. Any advice?

Yeh I'm sure they know what lice is, but I didn't know if they knew the English word for it. Like I said the parents are first generation here and don't know a ton of English. I feel better now that I've told them, I know I would it was just working up the courage to tell strangers in general

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Kids get lice. They can get it anywhere. Just tell them . . . . Either they'll be understanding about or they won't. It's better for them to know and treat it early, and it's better for you to be honest about it.

My stepdaughter has had lice more than once, and painful as it is, the best policy is to just tell everyone who MIGHT be affected. You have my sympathy with telling folks, but it needs to be done.

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After my kids came down with head lice from daycare, and I freaked out, a wise woman told me, "There is no shame in getting lice just in keeping them around."

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After my kids came down with head lice from daycare, and I freaked out, a wise woman told me, "There is no shame in getting lice just in keeping them around."

And I completely agree and I've told everyone we've been in contact with now. Every sign of them is gone. I've gone through my daughters hair 3-4 times a day to pick any remaining nits out that I missed during the initial treatment, I've sprayed the beds and washed the clothes and until the second treatment is done me and my daughter are in the living room sleeping since I've sprayed the beds and I don't want to chance "contaminating" them again (that spray is expensive for such a small bottle!) Every morning I throw our blankets in the dryer, vacuum the floor and the couch (the couch is leather but I'm being cautious). I'm not playing around with these critters, I'm probably overdoing it but I'd rather overdo than underdo. And unfortunately I had them too! I found them on me and than checked the rest of the family and no one else had them other than me and my daughter, not even my mom who moved in with me and shares a room with my daughter. It's been a nightmare! But in a few more days we are doing the second treatment and hopefully that will be that

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