New research shows that lice in at least twenty-five states have become resistant to conventional, over-the-counter medications, just as kids go back to school this fall. When the first lice treatment doesn’t work, parents are shampooing their children again and again. This is particularly dangerous considering how toxic the conventional treatments for head lice can be.
Adverse event reports from the FDA’s database show that pesticides in OTC lice treatments have caused conditions ranging from headaches to death.
Lindane, a prescription treatment for lice, is particularly dangerous. It was identified for a worldwide phase-out in 2009 by the Stockholm Convention, a global treaty that attempts to remove deadly toxins from the market. The US, which has not ratified the treaty, has yet to ban lindane, even though it has been prohibited for use on crops, cattle, and dogs, and has been linked to cancer, seizures, and deaths. That’s right—we can’t use it on our food or our pets, but we can put it on our kids.
Fortunately there are good natural remedies. Coconut oil has been used very successfully by one member of our staff. Other natural remedies for head lice include garlic (the odor may be a deterrent to use), olive oil, salt, and tree tea oil, a natural insecticide.
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All those coming into our country should be examined for this. They probably have no Idea about it they have lived with that they whole life. I other thing is check the buses they ride in. My grandson would get them and a few days, after being clean of them, he would have them again and because of my daughters work I had to go get them. I had a face to face with the principle and the phones went wild with calls from the inspectors checking the buses. The buses carry kids from Kg. to Senior High School and no one bother checking the High School kids and middle school. They were loaded. I knew of it from when I lived up north and my sister had to ride a bus and that was what happened up there,