With school about to start across North Texas, many parents are worried about so-called "super lice," a form of drug-resistant head lice that can survive most chemicals normally used to get rid of them.
"We are freaked out," said parent Amy Soliday. "We're thinking this is going to blow up."
After Soliday's daughter discovered a louse in her hair, the Keller mom brought her daughter to a specialist to get the lice removed, worried over-the-counter treatment used by her neighbors didn't work.
"We've had friends that have dealt with it for several months," said Soliday. "And they think they've gotten rid of it, and three weeks later they find out they have it again."
"It is a nightmare. It's a long nightmare," she added. "It's a lot of work. You have to wash sheets, put everything in the dryer, take all the stuffed animals away, take all the pillows away."
In Texas, while the Texas Department of State Health Services does not recommend children with head lice stay home from school, local districts are free to adopt their own policies.
"I had a mother this morning call me, [asking] 'Should I take my kid off the bus? Should I physically drive them to school every day and go part-time?'" said Marietta Klein, who owns The Royal Treatment Center in Hurst, which specializes in removing head lice.
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If used correctly, common over-the-counter medications can still work for some people sometimes, and there are products made for the so-called "super lice."
"As a consumer, the thing you want to investigate is if they have been tested for this new mutation," said Klein. "You can use sprays that the lice don't like, but basically being aggressive about combing through your children once a week [will help]."
The Texas Department of State Health Services said head lice do not pose any health threat, and parents should also check with their local school districts to find out their policies.
