Girl Dies Lice Treatment: Massachusetts Girl Suffocates During ‘Mayonnaise, Plastic Bag’ Treatment
A girl died during a lice treatment in Massachusetts after suffocating, according to police. The 18-month-old child was being treated for head lice with an at-home remedy that involved mayonnaise and a plastic bag. According to ABC News, the girl fell asleep with the plastic bag on her head, and it ended up covering her face.
“Sgt. John Delaney says the little girl’s scalp was covered in mayonnaise and a plastic shopping bag was placed over her head, a common home remedy for head lice. The girl was left unattended and apparently fell asleep, allowing the bag to slip down over her face, suffocating her,” ABC News reports.
The girl died during the lice treatment on Saturday in her Springfield home. Police are investigating, as is the state Department of Children and Families. At this time, this appears to be a terrible accident, and police have not charged anyone in association with the young girl’s death. According to CBS Springfield, the investigation is said to be “ongoing” at this time. All aspects of the case are being thoroughly looked into.
As far as the mayonnaise lice treatment goes, many parents believe that the remedy is safer for the child as opposed to using over the counter medications which some feel are fairly potent. Some say that head lice don’t respond well to the lice treatments found in stores, so the use of mayonnaise can be a better option all around. According to Health.com, mayonnaise doesn’t always work, but leaving a thick slather on hair overnight usually kills most of the small bugs. Many people need to do the treatment twice.
“People who’ve tried it recommend using real, full-fat mayonnaise. Slather it on liberally and pop on a shower cap. Let the mayo do its thing overnight. Shampoo and comb for nits in the morning. Repeat one week later to kill any lice that hatch from nits that survive the treatment,” reports Health.com.
When a girl dies from head lice treatment, most people seem to immediately think that the medications used may have been too strong, however, most of these lice killing agents are indeed safe. Head lice affect millions of people (mainly children), but even if it gets really bad, most people are able to deal with it on their own. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, a mother took a video while treating her child for head lice, and millions of people watched it on YouTube. Check that out here.
[Photo courtesy of Joanna Ibarra via Wikimedia Commons]
