Help For Families & Schools

(Wednesday, June 06, 2001) - Ontario mother and educator Dawn Mucci knows the horrors of head lice. In fact, she has made a three-year career out of helping others with this common and often frustrating issue. Head lice are the second most communicable affliction among school-aged children next to the their caregivers may get head lice this year alone and if you think you are immune, think again. Millions of Americans suffer from head lice each
year and in Europe the bugs are epidemic. Head lice do not care how
clean your home is, what colour your hair is or how much or little money you
have. Head lice actually prefer clean hair.
Mucci believes that head lice have become so epidemic in our society because of the lack of accurate treatment information, inferior nit removal tools, and the growing resistance that lice have developed to typical pesticide treatments. She also feels that schools, camps and daycare centres who ignore the problem and allow children with lice to attend further perpetuate these outbreaks. Mucci says, "THERE ARE MANY PARENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE NO NIT POLICIES IN PLACE. THESE ARE THE FRUSTRATED PARENTS WHO HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS OF HARD WORK ELIMINATING HEAD LICE ONLY TO HAVE THEIR CHILD RE-INFESTED AGAIN AT SCHOOL OR IN THE CHILDCARE SETTING."
Since May of 2001, Mucci's company, The LiceSquad Inc., has grown from three expertly trained staff to over twenty. The head lice removal service that started in Toronto now services most of southern and central Ontario. From Windsor, Niagara Falls, Newmarket, and right into Barrie and Orillia. "There is a real need for effective help and education when it comes to the issue of head lice," says Mucci. The staff, which is made up of holistic hairdressers, nurses and mothers, are kept busy year round providing in home head lice removal, head checks and training for school lice committees and parents.
Referrals come from doctors, hospitals, public health departments, pharmacies, schools, camps, and daycare centres. A large number are from word of mouth from satisfied clients who have used Mucci's service and just had to tell a friend. The LiceSquad's approach to head lice removal has been called innovative, effective and hassle free. "WE DO NOT BELIEVE IN PUTTING PESTICIDES ON YOUNG CHILDREN," says Mucci. These are just a few reasons parents call on the LiceSquad for help. Apparently many concerned parents who call are looking for another way to go or have already done the pesticide treatments without success.
Thanks to the pioneering spirit of Karen Tilley, founder of LiceBusters, Mucci was able to learn as LiceBusters General Manager, the method of removal. She now teaches others how to do it and uses it in her own head lice removal business. Her secret to success is the holistic combination of natural treatments, effective tools and knowledge.
"Our goal is to educate and provide assistance to those who have been battling head lice unsuccessfully" Aside from offering the much appreciated nit removal service, Mucci states that it is education that is most important. Mucci explains. "I HAVE SEEN MANY PARENTS WHO HAVE BECOME SO FRUSTRATED WITH HEAD LICE THAT THEY USE RIDICULOUS AMOUNTS OF OVER THE COUNTER PESTICIDE TREATMENTS, SHAVE HEADS OR TRY STRANGE REMEDIES OF THINGS LIKE: VODKA, VASELINE, KEROSENE AND ESSENTIAL OILS. These drastic methods have caused damage to the hair and in some cases have severely burnt the scalp and eyes. Some people have had their homes steam cleaned and a few I have spoken with have actually thrown away perfectly good clothing, bedding, furniture and toys. The fear and disgust associated with head lice is very real and many parents will do just about anything to be rid of it. Children are sometimes yelled at by frustrated parents and at school they can be teased or ostracised. These measures add emotional and financial stress to an already stressful situation. If head lice are not seen as a health issue physically, then consider the emotional and psychological well being of a child or parent who has gone through these things. It is also wise to consider and look into the potentially dangerous effects of long-term exposure to pesticides. Children are especially vulnerable as their skin is more likely to absorb chemicals and less likely to excrete them as well as an adult When a parent uses a pesticide to treat head lice they are putting it directly on the child's scalp. Consider all the warnings about washing food well or staying off lawns that have been sprayed. Consider the labels on lice products. The fact that you are warned to not over use or misuse the product.
Mucci says,"I AM ALWAYS CONCERNED WHEN I HEAR THAT THE DRUG STORE IS SOLD .OUT OF HEAD LICE TREATMENT OR THAT THE SUPPLY CANNOT GROWING DEMAND. There is something wrong here. Mothers often tell me that they have used five to ten applications of pesticide treatments, some leaving It on over night. The next day they are still finding live lice. What concerns me further Is that these parents are being sold repeated treatments without question. My assumption would be that these parents are not nit picking or perhaps they are using a nit comb that is ineffective or perhaps no one has ever taught them or helped with nit removal. THEN I READ THE LABEL ON THESE PRODUCTS AND IT IS CONFUSING TO ME. It says the product kills lice and their eggs perhaps leading users to feel less Inclined to nitpick. It does not say that you must remove all nits from the hair manually but suggests another treatment in seven days.

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