Parents have a tendency to stick to home remedies for the most commonplace problems. Our history is filled with instances in which alternative methods of treating illnesses have worked.
It has its pros: it’s inexpensive, you can do it at home, and you wouldn’t have to pay for a doctor’s consultation and prescription. But it has cons, too: it is not guaranteed to work 100%.
Such is the case for this western Massachusetts toddler after suffocating to death while undergoing a home treatment for head lice involving mayonnaise and a plastic bag.
The police were alerted when they received a call that the child was not breathing. Upon arriving at the caller’s house, they found an adult performing a CPR, but the medical personnel determined that it had been a while since the child died.
Reports claim that the family has put mayonnaise on the toddler’s hair as treatment for lice. Then they sent her of to bed with her head wrapped with plastic bag. It is suspected that the the toddler suffocated in her sleep.
No charges have been filed, but the incident is under investigation by local and state officials.
The Massachusetts Department of Health says that there is little data on whether home lice treatments involving fats are effective. The department also recommends using prescription and non-prescription medical shampoos to treat lice.
Treatment
Before treating one family member, check others in the household for bugs. Then treat everyone who’s infected at the same time, to avoid passing lice back and forth.
Afraid of using medicated shampoos? Fear not. Doctors say that such products are safe to use as long as they are used according to instructions.
If you find lice experts advise treating them with over-the-counter medicated shampoos called pediculicides (derived from chrysanthemums). The most common pediculicides are applied to dry hair, left on for 10 minutes, and then rinsed off.
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