Hair loss is a frightening and frustrating symptom for parents, especially since you don’t expect children to lose their hair.
Unfortunately, hair loss is a common symptom, even in children. In many cases, hair loss is temporary and the child’s hair grows back.
Learn with us the common reasons that may contribute to your child’s hair loss.
Causes of Children hair loss:
1.Scalp ringworm (tinea capitis):
This is one of the most common causes of hair loss, but is often easily recognized due to the associated consequences of the scalp including a red circular lesion, hair loss and a scaly edge that can itch.
The signs and symptoms of scalp ringworm can be more subtle, without flaking (loss of the upper layers of the epidermis) or itching, and hair breakage rather than hair loss.
2. Trichotillomania is believed to be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder:
It is defined as a child or teen who forcibly pulls his hair and feels nervous before pulling or trying to resist pulling and experiencing pleasure.
These children experience significant hair loss and often need treatment from a psychiatrist and / or A doctor who specializes in treating trichotillomania.
3. Pulling or combing the hair can be a habit for infants and young children:
just like sucking a thumb or rubbing a blanket.
It usually stops when children are around two or three years old, as is the case with thumb sucking, although some continue to tighten until they are three to five years old. Even if you ignore these habits, they sometimes cause hair loss.
4. Alopecia areata is believed to be an autoimmune disease:
(the child’s immune system attacks the hair follicles) that causes hair to completely fall out in circular or oval patches on the scalp or any other part of the body.
Unlike ringworm, the scalp involved in the circular patches of alopecia areata is completely smooth without redness or flaking.
Treatments include steroid injections and some topical medications (such as minoxidil, anthralin cream, or high-dose steroid creams). Fortunately, hair growth often ends on its own.
Other causes of hair loss:
In addition to ringworm, trichotillomania, hair loss, and other causes of hair loss mentioned above, other less common causes of hair loss can include:
– Thyroid disorders, including hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
– Diseases such as diabetes or iron deficiency anemia
-You usually expect your child to experience other symptoms besides hair loss if he has any of these conditions.
Hair loss can also be caused by structural abnormalities in the hair shaft, which usually lead to easy breakage, dryness and brittleness.
A pediatric dermatologist can identify this type of abnormality by examining the hair under a microscope.
How to fix the situation?
To improve the condition of your child’s hair, you can always choose a wig; However.
This is not the recommended alternative as there are treatments to rejuvenate hair in children.
Hair loss can be combated, for example, with topical steroids, which will only work in certain cases.
Alopecia areata can sometimes be treated with some medical treatments. However, the doctors can tell you more during a consultation.
Finally, ringworm will be treated with anti-fungal treatment, if your child is experiencing significant stress instead, and the trichotillomania is affecting him.
it may be necessary to meet with a child psychologist to determine the cause of his mental condition.
Having a good parent-child discussion with him might also open up to you in some cases.
In conclusion, here’s the story of a little boy with alopecia areata – his story might inspire you.
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