New concerns over organophosphate headlice treatment
Click Here to Add Comment
Subject: New concerns over organophosphate headlice treatment:
Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 16:59:26 -0400
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State
of California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Dear Mr. Helliker, I thought you might like to read an article entilted:
New concerns over organophosphate headlice treatment: woman is numb one year later - News Release: 11/01/2001 (January 1,2001)
A year after school governor Marjorie Graham, 64, used an insecticide treatment for headlice, she is left with a numb torso and arms - mystery symptoms her doctors can't explain. She is urging parents to use non-chemical methods of headlice control on children.
Dr Sarah Myhill, a GP who specialises in organophosphate sheep-dip poisoning, says Mrs Graham's symptoms could be due to the product. 'They are typical of a peripheral neuropathy [disorder of the nervous system] affecting both the sensory and motor nerves', she says. 'These are exactly the sort of symptoms I would expect to see from an acute chemical poisoning case.'
'I caught headlice around Christmas last year', says Mrs Graham. 'I bought a Health Authority-recommended headlice product and followed the packet instructions to the letter.'
Marjorie Graham had a cold when she used the insecticide. Four days later she developed numbness from her groin to her bust, muscle weakness, tingling down her arms, and aching in her chest.
'When I asked my doctors if my symptoms could have been caused by my using the insecticide they were dubious', says Mrs Graham, who has had a battery of inconclusive medical tests since. 'They wouldn't even notify the medical authorities of a possible reaction until I insisted. If it happens to anyone else at least there will be a record now.'
Alison Craig of Pesticide Action Network UK says 'We are very concerned that cases such as Mrs Graham's are not being either diagnosed or recorded by the medical authorities.
'We want to hear from anyone whose children have had symptoms after using an insecticide headlice treatment. Contact us in confidence on 020 7274 6611.'
ENDS
CONTACTS:
Marjorie Graham tel +44 (0)1243 603156
Dr Sarah Myhill GP tel +44 (0)1547 550331
Alison Craig, Pesticide Action Network UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7274 6611 (office) or 07951 388567 (mobile), email
Community Hygiene Concern tel 020 8341 7167
Well Mr. Helliker, Thank G-d there are safe and far more effective headlice treatments that do not contain any of your "registered" POISONS! I will be writing about these in the Alternative Medicine Digest (back to school issue).
Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten
If you would like to be included in our mailing list for continuing information on pesticides, Email Us. with "subscribe" in the subject line.