"Since then, however, lice have evolved. They've gotten tougher. Technically speaking, it's incorrect to say that the insecticides have caused lice to toughen up. Rather, some lice randomly mutate in a way that provides resistance to insecticides, and the mutants are the ones that survive, says John Clark, a professor of toxicology who studies lice at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. "If one of these mutations leads to insensitivity so that the compound no longer kills the individual," he says, "then that individual becomes resistant. It survives, reproduces, and then that mutation is basically fixed in the population." Survival of the fittest."

"The truth is that when I used an insecticide the first time, I was helping select for a stronger louse. Any lice that survived my son's treatment may have had a mutation that made them harder to kill the next time."

The Head Nitpicker

"Fortunately, there's a better way, as demonstrated by Abigail Rosenfeld, a professional nitpicker extraordinaire who was profiled in The New Yorker several years ago as "The Lice Lady." Rosenfeld, who lives in Brooklyn and started picking nits for her family and friends when she was 13, sums up her simple method this way:

"Rosenfeld offered to share her technique because she is a kind person, someone who radiates compassion, exactly the woman you'd want to go to if your head or your child's were crawling with insects. Quite simply, she loves children. Rosenfeld, an Orthodox Jew, has 13 of them. Her youngest is 2, and her oldest, at 22, is married with a child of her own."

"Miriam says she was happy with the results. "Abby removed all of the lice and nits, educated us on what to do at home, and most importantly, gave me the confidence and tools to continue the difficult treatment..."    

Read the complete article http://family.go.com/parenting/pkg-school-age/article-826294-lice---how-to-get-rid-of-lice-t/

NY METRO PARENTS

The Lice Lady
"My son’s scalp was pink and tender from nit-picking.  My own head felt prickly by association and despite the school nurse’s assurance that I was clean, I felt just the opposite."

'For 20 years, she’s been dispensing lice advice and keeping Brooklyn kids nit-free, one head at a time. “The Lice Lady,” she said, laughing. “That’s what they call me.”

'A mother of 13 (her youngest is one), she started fighting the good fight when a local teacher told her about a child who had missed three weeks of school because she had severe head lice. Rosenfeld said cleaned the child up and sent her back to her school where the school nurse nearly fell over in amazement. She said the nurse had never seen a child with such a head teeming with critters cleaned up so quickly."

She pooh-poohs the home remedies as ridiculous. “They’re just making a mess with their kids and themselves. It’s not pleasant for anyone,” said Rosenfeld.

Nor does she recommend over the counter or prescription medicated shampoos. Her theory: if they’re not safe for pregnant women, babies or small children, they’re probably poison.

Posted on March 06, 2007 - by Mary MacRae Warren

TIME OUT NEW YORK KIDS

Bug thug
It starts mysteriously, with a sudden head-scratching habit, followed by the dreaded call from a school nurse announcing a rampant case of head lice (a.k.a. pediculosis). Even veteran moms panic when faced with removing these creepy crawlers from their kids’ heads. But the bugs don’t faze Abigail Rosenfeld, self-proclaimed “Lice Lady” of Brookyn. Rosenfeld, the proud mom of 13 children ages one to 21 (wow!), travels to homes in the tristate area to rid kids of lice—without chemicals and usually within an hour. Her secret: baking soda, conditioner and a fancy European comb that effectively separates the varmints from the scalp.

 Read the complete article http://newyorkkids.timeout.com/articles/around-town/22582/come-to-me