My exhusband's wife has a family headlice problem. My daughter was 1 when they got married and is currently 5, we have been battling headlice this whole time. EVERY time she's there she comes back with headlice. I have spent thousands of dollars on shampoos and sprays over the last 4 years. Do I really have to allow her to go over there when her sisters reinfest her every time? The poor thing has been getting her head treated and picked her whole life!

You have documented this each time and notified Social Services, and gone to court over a new visitation arrangement or change in custody?
I would take a 1 minute home movie and keep receipts for the treatments.
SS may claim to be overworked and unable to have a part in this however. You could tell your ex that you are getting a hearing and don't want her over there meanwhile and see if he will be in agreement.

My exhusband's wife has a family headlice problem. My daughter was 1 when they got married and is currently 5, we have been battling headlice this whole time. EVERY time shes there she comes back with headlice. I have spent thousands of dollars on shampoos and sprays over the last 4 years. Do I really have to allow her to go over there when her sisters reinfest her every time? The poor thing has been getting her head treated and picked her whole life!

Have you contacted Social Services about this? Not only for your daughter's sake, but also the other children.

Have you discussed the issue with your exhusband? What does he have to say about this?

They were suppose to get rid of it a long time ago but it just seems to be an ongoing problem

they were suppose to get rid of it a long time ago but it just seems to be an ongoing problem

I assume this is answering my question regarding whether you had spoken to your ex about the lice.. I'd demand that something be done - 4 years is a ridiculous time for ANYONE to have lice.

Are you absolutely positive the ONLY place she's getting the lice from is her father's house?


Have you contacted Social Services? If not, why does the subject of your thread read "Social Services and head lice epidemic"?

I am hoping to get a response from someone in Social Services... During the 1st year I contacted them and was told that head lice was not a cause for visitation revocal. Well this just keeps going on and none of them seem to be able to get a grip on it and quite frankly I am sick of it myself. Ive demanded numerous times but demands don't help any of them. Yes Im positive that's where it comes from her sisters and stepmom all have it too.

I hadn't thought of just simply taping it and getting a court date... thank you

If you think video-taping your child with head lice going to get her father's visits revoked you're sadly mistaken.

And here's my attitude, which you thought I had previously: only an idiot would put up with lice for four years and not take any action. I wouldn't be surprised if the court finds something wrong with YOU for choosing not to protect your child.

The problem with this issue is that we don't have the step-mom's version. It could be that she too has been fighting these head lice for years. Head lice can be a very, very frustrating problem, and its often unclear how reinfection happens. I'd like to hear what she has said.

Gee wiz! I at least am not condemning you for any of this, and have read that SS pretty much ignores the problem (probably because it's such an epidemic they can't handle it).

One thing I would do is cut her hair very short.
I think what the court will do depends on the judge you get.

... One thing I would do is cut her hair very short. ....

There's an interesting thought.

Now that I think about it, I can't remember many issues in this family law forum about cutting the kid's hair. I wonder how many parenting agreements think about it.

Random question: why doesn't your ex-husband have lice, too? If this is such an epidemic, I'd think he'd be affected by it as well - yet you continue to specifically state that only his wife and their children have lice.

As AK Lawyer asked, have you discussed this with him and his wife? Has anyone - new wife; any of the children, including yours - been to the doctor for this? Head lice have been known to be resistant to over-the-counter treatments:
Head Lice Grow Resistant to Treatments (http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20100726/head-lice-grow-resistant-treatments)
which means you're just going to keep wasting your money until this gets resolved.

One thing... clean kids actually get head lice more than dirty kids.


Head lice is more common among girls than boys because they share hats, scarves, hairbrushes, and other hair accessories more frequently.


A common misconception is that lice infestation is a result of poor hygienic practices. In fact, it is actually believed that head lice prefer clean hair to dirty hair. However, their number increases due to a lack of combing and bathing.

What can you do to aid in preventing this? Wash the hair every other day. Use hair spray. Put hair in pony tails, don't wear it long and loose.

Lice (Pediculosis) : Bureau of Communicable Disease : NYC DOHMH (http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cdped.shtml)