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Mums & Dads
You are looking at: Home : News & Gossip : Mums & Dads

20% parents lie about head lice

Mums and dads admit they don’t tell other parents or the school when their child has head lice

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Posted: 8 September 2010
by Matt Fricker
Child scratching head
Are you worried about head lice?

Mums and dads are still reluctant to admit their child has head lice, according to a new survey.

Having ‘nits’ (in fact the nits are actually the eggs, the insects are the lice) clearly remains a massive social taboo, despite the fact that the majority of families will experience them at some point during the early school years.

It’s the dads who are less honest than mums, it seems, as the research, conducted by makers of head lice treatments, Lyclear, revealed that 1 in 4 dads (29%) compared with 1 in 5 mums (20%) don’t tell the school or other mums and dads when their child has head lice.

Head lice was also revealed to be one of the biggest school worries for parents, with 61% of mums saying that their child coming home with head lice was their greatest school fear.

“It’s quite worrying that parents still feel there is a huge stigma attached to their child having head lice,” said Louise White from Lyclear.

If you’re worried about your little one catching head lice, our guide to head lice and nits will give you all the tips needed to recognize the little tykes and, more importantly, get rid of them!

You can also join our head lice defence league to discuss every aspect of head lice and have the chance to try out some lice-busting products.


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head lice, mums, dads, children, school, taboo, nits
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So what do you think?

Lynn Iannacone
This is nerve racking to say the least but I am glad that I use Rosemary Repel products on my children every single day before I send them off to school. Their products repel lice preventing infestations and they do it the all natural way without chemicals. The school nurse at my children's school reccomended these products and I havent used anything else since!! Just wish more parents were to use them as well. I have peace of mind when I send my kids off to school, as a parent that is as good as it gets when it comes to lice. About 2 years ago
Dustin H.
This is some powerful research. I think one of the main reasons parents fear their child getting lice is not only the social stigma that is placed on them, but it's the fact that they don't know how to get rid of it. Parents should get past the stigma and move on to the solution. About 2 years ago
toes10
Headlice are so common now I just wish there was something they could give on prescription that worked! That way all parents could treat their children and maybe the school would be lice free for a term About 2 years ago
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