A consultant dermatologist misdiagnosed ringworm in two children as seborrhoeic dermatitis of the scalp and as a result prescribed an inappropriate treatment which added to their discomfort and pain, the Circuit Civil Court was told Tuesday.
Barrister Esther Earley, who appeared for the children with Martina Rowley of CM Haughey Solicitors, told the court Jay and Aimee had in April 2014 both suffered a fungal infection commonly known as ringworm on their scalps. Aimee was seven and Jay was aged two at the time. Dr Shaikh had embarked them upon treatment that was inappropriate for their conditions which, according to a medical expert on behalf of the children, had led to continuing deterioration of their complaints by encouraging growth of the offending organisms.
Ms Earley said Dr Shaikh had to date not delivered a defence to the action and had decided to make settlement offers to the children without any admission of liability on his part. The other two defendants had earlier entered defence documents and had reached some agreement with Dr Shaikh, the details of which she and CM Haughey Solicitors were not aware.