Teen with chronic headlice - won't do anything about it :(

[nimbs]

Can anyone advise us please, my 13yr old step sister has had headlice for months now and seems unable/unwilling to do anything about it. It's a very touchy subject with her and if anyone brings it up she says she is dealing with it.

My mum has bought every product under the sun and keeps telling her to use them but she doesn't. My other sister has even downloaded bits off the net about how having headlice for so long can affect you physically - but SS won't listen. I know she is beginning to feel that the family are picking on her but it's becoming such an issue. Every time we stay with mum, especially with the children we all get nits - it's horrid - even though I comb the children (including the 2 babies) every night when we stay we still end up riddled

It's becoming so that noone wants to hug/be with her because we are so worried about getting them - this doesn't seem to bother her though.

Her mum has washed her hands of her and my step-dad is next to useless when it comes to things like this - ie very blunt and not nice - so can't ask them to speak to her.

Apart from literally doing SS's hair herself mum is at her wits end - please can anyone help us?

Thanks

weeeeeell, without wishing to seem overly alarmist, it's not unknown for child victims of abuse (and i am NOT saying that this is the case here) to seek to make themselves unnattractive etc. or bullying, or just general sadness, you know? it's quite a strong message to send about yourself, psychologically-speaking, that you want people to be afraid of touching you. but i'm jsut airing the idea, not drawing any conclusions or anything.

Takes deep breath .

I never told anyone this before without namechanging when I was 21 I caught headlice from my son I had severe depression after the death of my DD and the start of PND .
I refused to acknowledge the lice although I treated my ds (odd I know) I would wash my hair and the water would go a funny browny/blood colour and my head stank .
In the end I had an abscess that I almost ended up in hospital with and some major lotion that you can only get on a script .
The Gp even asked me to save some of the lice as a sample because she had never seen any so big .
Looking back now I can't believe I did that to myself but I just stopped looking after myself and what I am trying to say is that maybe she is very depressed and needs help .

oh god, comewhine, you poor thing. that's very kind of you to post that to try and help a young girl.

but yes, thinking about it, it is a self-harm issue, isn't it? poor girl.

thank you aitch - I am certain there is no child abuse going on but I agree that she is sending a pretty clear message that she is unhappy - have told this to my mum before too. I'm not sure what we can do to help her - as I think the underlying issue is more to do with her relationship with her parents - her dad (my step-dad - doesn't 'do' families - or rather children - though he is a nice person he really shouldn't have had children )

comewhine - thank you so much (hugs)

Anyone else scratching....??

Oh bless her. She does sound unhappy. Good on you for looking out for her.