Parenting a child with Trichotillomania

Is your child pulling hair out often? As a parent, you might feel embarrassed, scared, and confused. Trichotillomania is a disorder that presents as a repeated urge to pull one’s own hair out. It is sometimes a reaction to stressful circumstances (family tension, performance at school, etc.). Before you start pulling out your own hair in frustration, try these practical tips to manage hair pulling in children.

• Have greater awareness:

  The first thing you should know as a parent is that it is not uncommon for trichotillomania to start occurring during the stressful adolescent phase. Most children start to show symptoms by age 12. (Source: Anxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA)) Understand that the act of pulling out hair often brings your child instant gratification and may even feel good. They need your unconditional love and support through this difficult time.

   

• Use open communication:

  If it is hard to talk about the condition, find support groups with children their age that they can talk to about their hair pulling disorder. In case there are no groups in your zone, check online for support forums.

   

• Look at celebrity examples:

  It always helps children to have a role model. Let your child know that even successful people like Megan Fox, Justin Timberlake, Victoria Beckham, and Katy Perry had to deal with trichotillomania. Make them understand that the disorder can happen to the best of us, but it is not undefeatable.

   

• Try activities for restless fingers:

  You can help your child’s temptation of using the fingers to pull out hair by giving something else to do. Your child might just excel at a watercolor painting, typing, playing piano, or needle-work. Figure out what activities they like to do and use those to help them stay focused. You can also give them cooking lessons.

   

• Set up a de-stress time:

  Try to help your child recognize exact times of the day when he or she feels the overwhelming need to pull out hair. This can often be before bedtime when children are alone and feeling insecure. If so, play soothing music before bed. Schedule time to do relaxing activities like a warm bath or even child-friendly yoga.

   

• Cover the hands:

  Let your child try dressing up their hands in cool gloves to stop their fingers from playing with the hair.