Hair loss and thinning don’t just affect adults. It’s widespread across many age ranges, with children and teenagers suffering from hair loss.
There are many conditions that are linked to hair loss in children. Skin infections (such as ringworm and bacterial scaling), autoimmune disorders, and telogen effluvium triggered by the stress of surgery, illness, weight loss or emotional distress have all been identified as common causes of childhood hair loss.
Physical causes (including trichotillomania) may also be to blame as Verywell Health explains:
“Hair pulling or stroking can be a habit for infants and toddlers, just like thumb sucking, sucking on a pacifier, or rubbing a blanket. It usually stops when kids are around two or three years old, just like thumb-sucking, although some continue pulling until they are three to five years old. Although you can ignore this habit, since it does sometimes cause some hair loss, you could keep your child’s hair cut short…”
Whatever the cause of your child’s hair loss, or the prognosis, knowing how to support them is vital. Here we share our advice for supporting a child struggling with hair loss.
Whether your child is actively worried about hair loss or they’ve hardly noticed they have less hair on their head, being there to talk is the first and most important step. Losing hair can be traumatic and upsetting, and with your child present at appointments that discuss its cause and treatment, it is vital that you remain open and transparent.
Explaining hair loss in an age-appropriate way, managing its emotional impact, and supporting your child as you negotiate your own worries can be challenging for parents. But, remember you are not alone. There are many support groups out there that offer a friendly ear and plenty of tried-and-tested advice for parents with children suffering from hair loss.
Alopecia UK is just one of the organisations hosting events and groups for those suffering from alopecia and their families. Their Alopecia Café is hosted virtually every month and provides an excellent opportunity for people affected by alopecia to chat and seek peer support.
Managing other people’s reactions to your child’s hair loss is a big concern for many parents. Having the same transparency with others as you have with your child is recommended, especially at school.
Children are naturally curious and will no doubt have questions. Working with your child’s school to tackle the subject in a more general way during the early stages of your child’s hair loss journey is a great step forward and one that can help your child feel more comfortable within the school environment.
If your child is older, ready and willing to have these conversations with their peers themselves, let them take the lead.
Hair loss isn’t the be-all and end-all. These days you have more treatment options than ever as well as various steps that can help your child be their most confident self, even in the face of hair loss and thinning.
Our wigs and headwear should certainly be explored while laying the foundations for better hair health and regrowth, with diet and lifestyle changes.
