[riverview]

The agency called b/c the FM shaved my baby's head bald b/c she thought he had tapeworm. Is this the treatment? Anyone, help please. Very upsetting.....

[Mandy4President]

I've never heard of that. This is what I found on a parasite website:
"CESTODA
Among the oldest known parasites, tapeworms are considered humanity's largest intestinal inhabitant. They each have a scolex (head) that attaches to the intestinal wall. As long as the head remains attached to the intestinal mucosa, a new worm can grow from it. Tapeworms do not contain digestive tracts but get their nourishment by absorbing partially digested substances from the host. They are whitish in color, flat, and ribbon-like, with a covering that is a transparent skin-like layer. Common cestoda include: Beef tapeworm (Taenia saginata), Pork tapeworm (Taenia solium), Fish tapeworm (Diphyllobothrium latum), and Dog tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum"

Maybe someone knows the reason for it, but if it is an intestinal parasite, why would she shave his head? Are they sure they're getting the translation right? Did your baby maybe have lice?

[DPline]

Is it possibly ringworm which is a fungal infection?

This is from the NY State Dept. of Health website:

Ringworm of the scalp usually begins as a small pimple which becomes larger in size and leaves scaly patches of temporary baldness. Infected hairs become brittle and break off easily. Occasionally, yellowish cuplike crusty areas are seen.

Your doctor may prescribe a fungicidal material to swallow as tablets or powders that can be applied directly to the affected areas. Griseofulvin is commonly prescribed for treating fungus infections.

Hope you can get it figured out!

[riverview]

who knows why she did it. guess they will take him to the dr to check him out.... if he were here, he would not have this problem. Time is going to be a killer for me tonight. ...

[riverview]

thanks for your help. Have the agency working on it right now. Love my agency... up at 10:30 at night making sure that he is ok. Attorney in Guat is emailing her and she is emailing me back and forth. That's a good sign of a good attorney...

[DPline]

That sounds like an awesome agency and attorney. Hope you have some clear answers tonight!

[saranbr]

Tough to say why she did something like that but it won't cure tapeworm if that's actually what he has. It might help with ringworm, lice or scabies but you have to take something by mouth for tape or round worms! Glad to hear you're agency is looking into it.

[drjeanne]

perhaps the information you got is incorrect? Perhaps is a case of shaving his head because they believe his hair will grow back thicker? I've heard of this in Guatemala before. I was just wondering if maybe someone heard the information incorrectly......

Hope it all works out and this process doesn't drive you TOO nutty!
Jeanne

[angel_bayou]

I was thinking this very same thing Debbie.....a ringworm seems more like a reason to have shaved the baby's head.

Vanessa
Waiting for Arianna & Olivia (home grown)
DAY 111 in PGN

[annaguat]

I second the ring worm possibility. Anna

[doghouse]

In Latin America, it is very common to shave babies hair for the first year of their lives.

[MNStarr]

We were told when we visited that if we did not want the foster mom to shave her head we needed to tell her or she might think it was ok. I guess its pretty common.

[AnasMama]

Hmm... I have often wondered if the FM has been shaving our baby's head, because she still does not have any hair, and she is 6 months old. Of course I didn't have any hair as a baby either, but I don't even see any peach fuzz on our Ana. She is adorable even without hair.

[DPline]

Any new info Riverview? Just thinking about you and wondering if you got an update.