September is Head Lice Prevention Month. It is a timely reminder. This week, I'd like to explain why you need chemical-free options for fighting lice. You're not actually treating lice, you're treating your child.
Be Sure To Provide a
Non-Chemical Choice For
Children, Families, and Yourself!
© 2002 NPA
Why? Because children of any age or size are vulnerable to the harmful effects of pesticides. They also often have pregnant or nursing mothers who should never be exposed to chemical treatments either by applying them to themselves or to others.
Why? Because too many people unfortunately overuse chemical agents out of fear and frustration without adequate warning of the risks to themselves and the environment.
Why? Because each of us has unique vulnerabilities. Pesticide products can accumulate in the human body and they are not necessarily washed away at the end of the treatment, as people would like to think.
Why? Because the overuse of lice products can predispose a person to adverse reactions with even one additional chemical exposure.
Why? Because it's not worth taking unnecessary risks when the bottom line will always be the manual removal of lice and nits.
Why? Because none of the available chemical treatments are 100% effective and too many people are told to seek prescriptions after other treatments fail. Prescriptions become the most potentially harmful treatment of them all!
Why? Because pesticides pose a risk to all children, and none are more at risk than the growing number treated for illnesses and/or on medication.
Why? Because everyone needs a non-chemical way to screen and detect head lice early and remove them safely and effectively.
Why? “Cuz if you don’t get ‘em out, you’ve still got ‘em!™”
I'd like to comment on this. Do you vaccinate? If not, does it have something to do with the ingredients in the vaccines? Is that is the case, I can not imagine you would want to use lice-killing pesticides (neuro-toxins) on your children's heads.
Its true, no matter how many over-the-counter chemicals you use, you still have to manually comb out all the nits. They don't kill the eggs. Tyler was once prescribed a treatment because we couldn't seem to get rid of the infestation. (She has really thick hair.) It was an ovacide. That means it kills eggs. I find myself wondering if that means human eggs, too.
Anyway, this stuff was SO toxic, SO potent, that we literally had to do it outside. It could not be done inside our house! (Wow, can't be in my house, but I put it on my child's scalp!) As I applied it to her head, bugs were falling out of her hair! Thing is, even if you kill the eggs, you still have to get them out of the hair before a child is permitted to return to an activity. In our case, she was actually turned away from a dentist!
The real problem is this: People treat their child with one chemical, but don't get everything out of their child's hair. The product says to treat again after x days. (If you choose to use chemicals - follow the instructions!) If the child still has lice, they are often then treated with a different OTC chemical. How much of the previous pesticide is still on the child's scalp? You are likely now mixing chemicals - never a good idea.
No matter which of these chemical "solutions" you use, it still comes down to removing everything from your child's hair. If you just start with that in the first place, you can skip the nasty chemicals!
 lindanePhoto Credit The World Health Organization classifies lindane as "Moderately Hazardous." It is presently banned in more than 50 countries, and in 2009 was included in the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants, which bans its production and use worldwide (except for pharmaceutical use). |
Don't just take my word for it. Go read Jesse's Story. You will never look at chemical lice treatments the same way.
To see my previous posts about lice, including our own battle with lice on Sasha's 1yo little head and a list of links on Lindane (the active ingredient in most lice treatments), click my lice label.
