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In the North of France, a 6-year-old girl had to be hospitalized due to an infection caused by lice. The parents would not have “done everything” to treat her and would have allowed the problem to spread. They are now condemned.
Hospitalized for lice. This is the sad story of a 6 year old girl, told by The voice of the North on June 22. After several weeks of suffering, the little girl ended up in the emergency room for an infection.
Three weeks in hospital for lice-related infection
The origin of this information dates back to July 2022. At that time, the girl’s parents were separated and living in two different cities. One day, the father picked up his daughter with “a lot” of lice, he said. A situation that does not change when two weeks later the mother gets her daughter back.
Taken to a doctor, the little girl received treatment for the scabies with which she was allegedly infested. It’s not enough: the little girl continues to scratch her head and her condition deteriorates to such an extent that her mother decides to take her to the hospital. The child has a fever, his body is strewn with lesions and these are superinfected. She will stay there for three weeks.
A clear lack of parental care
Faced with this worrying picture, caregivers alerted the authorities and cited a lack of care. The father and mother did not do “anything”, but did not take the measure of the care to be taken, against a backdrop of separation, and would have blamed each other reciprocally.
The father claims to have washed his daughter’s hair daily with a suitable product but did not contact the emergency services when the situation worsened. The mother admits to having waited 5 days to go to the emergency room.
The criminal court sentenced both parents to 2 months in prison, pleading negligence: “A superinfection does not develop overnight” concluded the prosecutor. They are now appealing this decision.
Lice: rare but possible complications
Landing in the emergency room because of lice seems extreme. The little creatures are out every school year and do not trigger a health alert. But according to Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of Doctissimo, superinfection can indeed occur if the problem is not treated in time.
Serious complications can occur in certain cases:
- During intense scratching caused by itching. They can lead to abrasions and damage to the scalp. These wounds can become infected and cause a bacterial superinfection, sometimes requiring antibiotic treatment;
- In some cases, lice bites can also cause an allergic reaction manifested by hives;
- Prolonged infestation can also cause swelling of the lymph nodes.
“Although these complications are possible, it is important to note that head lice do not generally transmit serious diseases” adds our expert. “Most problems are related to itching and discomfort, and can be avoided with prompt and appropriate treatment.”
Today, many effective products exist in the event of a lice infestation. Most act by suffocation. These are less toxic products than insecticides which do not cause resistance to treatments. Most use dimethicone, a synthetic silicone oil that kills lice by blocking their breathing holes. It can be combined with coconut oil derivatives, petroleum jelly, beeswax or jojoba. And the good news is that its effectiveness is comparable to or greater than that of insecticides. Just follow the instructions.
Oxyphthirine also acts by choking. The product is applied to the entire scalp and must also be left on for eight hours.
In the event of lesions or complications, it is of course recommended to consult a healthcare professional quickly.
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