One day a lady came into school, we were soon to find out that she was the nit nurse.

We were duly examined and found to have the dreaded head lice. We went home with a letter for our mum and a bottle of lotion to kill the lice. Mum was mortified. She used the lotion, and made sure our hair was clear. She bought a Derbac comb and soap. We had our hair washed with the soap once a week with daily uses of the steel comb.

Fifty years on, my grand-daughter is in school in Sheffield. She has had head lice on and off now for five years.

My daughter has used every form of deterrent, including battery combs, lotions, hours of just attending to her hair, and she has won the battle, only to go back to school and get them again. In desperation, she had her hair cut.

There are parents at this school who do not bother and this problem is rife.

The nit nurse may not be politically correct, but something has to be done to wake parents up to their responsibilties.

Pat Waistnidge, Sheffield 6




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