Sleepovers are one of the most fun ways that your child can socialize with friends. Whether it’s to stay up past bedtime with the neighborhood kids or to celebrate a birthday, staying over at a friend’s house away from home is an exciting rite of passage for kids in their adolescence.
But given the close contact that kids have at sleepovers, slumber parties are also an opportune time for lice to spread. Here are a few ways to help prevent your child from getting lice at a sleepover:
Talk to the parents about lice
While parents always connect before allowing their children to sleepover at someone else’s house, they should also have a transparent discussion about lice to avoid an outbreak at a sleepover. Make sure that there is no history of recent lice infestation at their friends’ homes before letting your child sleepover. If one of their children has recently had lice, confirm that the home and all members of the household have been treated and cleared of lice.
Avoid sharing grooming items
One of the most fun activities for girls at sleepovers is to do each other’s hair, but sharing hairbrushes and accessories is also one of the most common ways that lice spread among children. Before sending your kids to sleepovers, make sure that they have their own hairbrushes, ties, barrettes and combs. Also, have a discussion with them about the importance of using their own hair tools and not sharing them at a sleepover to avoid getting lice. If possible, also send them with their own pillow.
Do laundry after the sleepover
After your child returns from a sleepover, doing laundry can help avoid spreading lice if a child in attendance was infested. Be sure to wash any clothes, sleeping bags, blankets, sheets, and pillowcases that accompanied your child to the sleepover to reduce the chances that lice came home with your child.
Schedule a screening or treatment session with Larger Than Lice
If you find that your child does have lice or suspect that they do after attending a sleepover, schedule an appointment to be screened or treated professionally for lice right away. We offer in-home appointments 24/7, 7 days a week.
