Doctors say during the beginning of the school year, kids come in for appointments with symptoms of an itchy scalp, no matter how many times they shampoo. Unfortunately, that's a dead giveaway they have lice.
One Katy mom swears that her daughters have not had lice because of an all-natural remedy.
As a mom to two teenage girls with beautiful long hair, Nora Kapche searches for ways to keep lice away. She swears tea tree oil helps prevent lice.
"You just use some water and put about 15 to 20 drops of the tea tree oil into your spray bottle and then you just spray this on your hair every day," she claimed. "A really good and easy thing to do is to take a regular shampoo that you already use, put in about two drops per ounce of tea tree oil into the bottle itself, give it a little shake and use it. That's all you need. So, you can buy the expensive stuff or you can make some yourself.”
The Centers for Disease Control states the only way to avoid lice is to teach kids how to avoid them.
"I think we do have these conversations with our kids. I'm not sure if they do it all the time," Kapche said.
What kids should not be doing is sitting head to head on phones, sharing hats, scarves, helmets, hairbrushes or anything that goes on their head.
Another tip from Nora, she tries to keep her daughter's hair as close to the scalp as possible.
Doctors say if you already have lice, you will need over-the-counter shampoos and a comb to remove every tiny bug and nit. Items that are not washable should be sealed in a plastic bag and stored for two weeks.
According to the CDC, you also have to machine wash all sheets and clothing in hot water. However, the government health agency does not want you to use fumigant sprays or fogs; they say those are not necessary to control head lice and can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
