Now that little is back in school this is on my mind. of course, my solution has always been to shave his little head the minute the school has an outbreak but this year he wants to grow his hair longer and so...
are there any natural but EFFECTIVE remedies that you know of?
pardon me if i asked this last year, i think i may have, it's just something that is on my mind every year around this time!

Cedar oil kills lice. It is harmless to people, but is competely poisonous to the little buggers.

Cool, thanks. I'll remember this if I have that problem!

Here's an article I found, coco. I'm not sure if it's true, BUT please please please read the warning at the very bottom concerning babies.

[www.lacetoleather.com]

Shampoos and Conditioners

One of the best things to use to prevent lice is the right shampoo. Coconut oil and olive oil contain fatty acids that break down the bodies (exoskeletons) of the lice and kill them. Try Heritage Hypoallergenic Olive Oil Shampoo, Oliva Olive & Aloe Conditioner, Home Health Oliva Shampoo with olive oil, Hypo Allergenic Shampoo with Coconut, Rainwater Henna Shampoo (enhances natural highlights) with coconut oil, or Rainwater Baby Shampoo with coconut oil - just to name a few from MotherNature.com (they have even more to choose from).

Some shampoos and conditioners contain tea tree oil, peppermint or eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, and rosemary oil (and lice hate the smell so they stay away!). All with tea tree oil also relieve dandruff and cradle cap. These include California Baby Shampoo & Body Wash (tearless) with tea tree oil and lavender, Jason Natural Cosmetics Tea Tree Oil Hair & Scalp Therapy Shampoo and Jason Natural Cosmetics Tea Tree Oil Hair & Scalp Therapy Conditioner. Shampoos and conditioners that contain tea tree oil are also great for use after a lice infestation because it heals and soothes all of those little bites and sore skin from scratching.

Make Your Own

If you don’t want to buy any of these shampoos or conditioners, you can make your own rinse. First shampoo the hair. To a base of five teaspoons of pure olive carrier oil (or Pure Coconut Carrier Oil), add five drops of Lavender Essential Oil, five drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil, five drops of Rosemary Essential Oil, five drops of Tea Tree Essential Oil, and five drops of Peppermint Essential Oil. Add five drops of this mixture per 8-ounce glass of water or to the bottle of shampoo or conditioner. This is the last rinse. Lice just hate it and will stay away!

You can add these essential oils to any shampoo or conditioner containing coconut oil or olive oil when your child is near an active outbreak of lice (to keep the lice away and start killing any one that might be brave enough to climb aboard). In between outbreaks, you can use any shampoo as is, add these essential oils to any conditioner, and skip the final rinse mentioned above (to keep lice away). Simply add five drops of each essential oil to five teaspoons of shampoo or conditioner.

The following is a ratio for adding essential oils to a carrier oil, shampoo or conditioner.

ESSENTIAL OIL CARRIER OIL, SHAMPOO OR CONDITIONER
0-1 drop 1/5 teaspoon
2-5 drops 1 teaspoon
4-10 drops 2 teaspoons
6-15 drops 1 tablespoon
8-20 drops 4 teaspoons
10-25 drops 5 teaspoons
Notes: 1) The respiration of a baby or child under 5 can be slowed down or even stopped if peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil is close enough for the baby to even breathe either. 2) High blood pressure may be elevated by peppermint essential oil. 3) Peppermint or rosemary may be harmful during pregnancy.

coolio joanne and suzie-q, i'll keep that in mind.