How to Deal With Head Lice in Shared Custody Families

You and your ex have finally managed to work out a shared custody arrangement. It’s not easy but it is working. Then you discover head lice and your fragile arrangement is now in jeopardy. Below are tips for ex-spouses dealing with head lice in their children.

When children switch back and forth between two houses, treating head lice can be more of a challenge than it already is. It is absolutely essential that parents be on the same page in order to ensure that the case is addressed and that the lice stay away once they are eliminated. After the lice and visible nits (lice eggs) have been removed, you want to do a simple after care plan to remove any nits that had just been laid and therefore were too small to be seen and removed on the day of treatment. Here are some tips to help ex-spouses cooperate with the eradication of head lice:

1. Keep in mind that lice are tough and resistant to chemical treatments. Commit to getting the lice out and then working on an after-care plan.
2. Do not blame each other. Generally the source of the lice infestation is a mystery. Lice are very commonplace today and all it takes is for your child to be near a friend who has it and those bugs can climb from one head to another in a second. Neither you nor your ex-spouse did anything wrong.
3. Figure out how you want to tackle the lice problem. Since lice can be a challenge to eradicate, many divorced couples find that hiring a professional to do the job helps to minimize the stress.
4. Try to discuss the problem and your concerns in private. Your children may be upset or embarrassed and you want to minimize that. Getting head lice has nothing to do with hygiene and the more social the child is, the more chance he or she has of getting lice.
5. Present a united front when telling the kids the plan of action to get rid of lice.

LiceDoctors has worked with many families of divorce and we promise to remove the stress and help parents to be on the same page. We come to the home(s) of the child and remove the nits and show parents how to check as follow up. All members of both households should be checked. Lice are very treatable and with some outside help and cooperation, two household families can have a smooth lice treatment experience.

For more information about Shared Custody and Shared Lice or give us a call today at 248-633-8827 . We will take the burden off of you!