Trichotillomania (Compulsive Hair Pulling) in Toddlers

[MrsMiggins]

I'm looking for anyone who would be willing to share their experience of Trichotillomania (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichotillomania), in particular Baby Trich or Toddler Trich.

I've been doing a bit of online research, as my DD has been pulling her hair out since she was around 9-12 months old (she was a baldie bub and only started growing "graspable" hair around this age). I've found some really great info on the condition, but as it seems to be quite rare (or perhaps not widely spoken about), there isn't a great deal of info on people's personal experiences.

I'm interested in hearing from anyone who's had this condition, knows someone or parents of someone with it, has raised children with trich (whether or not they outgrew it) etc.

I'd really like to know how it was diagnosed, whether you had any difficulty having it recognised, whether any treatments were advised or recommended, age of onset, whether a child outgrew it (and if so, what age it started & finished), any issues around living with the condition - anything else.

Also, if you have a child with trich, or know of a child with the condition, whether the hair pulling was accompanied by thumb sucking.

TIA! :)

[QTB]

I used to care for a child that had/has it... its not an easy thing to deal with... he was 4

we were lucky he was a boy, so we just shaved his hair off so it was un-graspable, but with a girl i can imagine thats not a reasonable solution

but it took him ages to get diognosed (he had ADHD) so every dr just said it was him attention seeking yadda yadda... we knew it wasnt though. his parents worked overseas alot and i took him to 99% of his appointments, in the end his parents paid big money for me to take him to a specialist in wellington NZ (we were living in hamilton) and the specialist observed him for a few hours (he had to let his hair grow to graspable levels before the appointment) and diognosed him offically with Trich... after just under 12 months of fighting drs/pediatricions etc

so it was a long hard road, but once he was diognosed offically he was put on once weekly meds and it stopped after about a month (thats how long it took for the meds to build to required levels in his body)

hope that helps a little...

[QTB]

oh and your right, it is very uncommon! only 6 diognosed cases in the whole of new zealand! (i dont know the aus stats though!)

[MrsMiggins]

Thanks QTB! I was actually really surprised to see a reply so quickly! I even wondered if I'd get any responses at all!

I'm curious as to exactly how common it is. Most of the online info is US-based, but as I've been doing a bit of reading into it, figures vary from 2 million - 9 million suspected sufferers in the US alone. I guess that is quite a lot.

I'd never heard of it before, and only suspected that perhaps it had a psychological cause when I was in Woolworths one day. I was waiting in the line at the checkout & DD was bored & cranky & was sucking her thumb & pulling her hair quite viciously. When I told her to stop pulling her hair out, a lady standing in line behind me tapped me on the shoulder and asked: "Did I just hear you tell your daughter to stop pulling her hair out?" When I replied that I had, she turned her own daughter around (who was roughly the same age as DD) and showed me the huge bald patch on the side of her head. I was amazed, as I'd never thought other kids did it! She said that her DD also pulled her hair when sucking her thumb. My DD has very little hair (which is also quite fair), so the bald patches aren't as noticeable, but this girl had much longer, darker hair.

Since then, I've also come across a lady at one playgroup we go to who has a son who does it also. She told me that when he starts doing it, she shaves his head, but when it starts to grow back, he starts pulling it again.

One promising article I read said that if the pulling has a very early onset (generally before 1-2 years of age) that the child usually will grow out of it before the age of 5 (similar to thumb sucking, I guess). On the other hand, it can also be related to OCD, which has the potential to become more pronounced if left untreated. That's a big part of the reason why I'm seeking other's experiences.

[UmmInayah]

I suffer from trich :( It's awful. I don't notice I am doing it most of the time. My sister and I both have it. Mine started in adolesence.

I have tried to stop doing it, and most of the time if someone tells me to stop, it just aggravates me more and I do it even more.

My DD has started pulling her hair as she sleeps. I am so worried that she will have it too. She doesn't do it any other time thank goodness and it is really rare when she does do it before she sleeps. It usually happens if she is overtired.

I have started giving her a blanket to pull at or to stroke. It seems to be working! She adores the blanket and now can't sleep without it.

I'll keep an eye on this thread if you like, if you want to ask me any questions. Haha not sure what you want to ask, but I am willing to answer whatever you want :)

[QTB]

I know i got a shock when i saw the thread title come up lol iv never seen anyone mention it!

i cant help with the toddler bit unfortunatly, cos i wasnt working for the family when he was that age, but they did say he had been doing it for a long time.. i just dont know how long a long time is to them lol

when i last saw him he was 7 and still had it though!

and he was a thumb sucker too!

[Tam-I-Am]

Hey MrsMigg,

I'm not an expert in kids, nor do I know of anyone with trich - BUT - from what I remember, ad what I've looked up today, it seems to be an anxiety-reducing behaviour (which is why it can be associated with OCD - OCD sufferers have ritualistic behaviours to combat the anxiety they experience as a result of their obsessions and compulsions. The behaviour is obviously counter-productive, and maladaptive, which is similar to trich).

Much like any other anxiety disorder, there are some really good treatments - I would probably advise you to talk to your GP and get a referral for Claire to see a psychologist specialising in child psychology, hopefully with a psychiatric background too. Early intervention is usually quite important in these sort of situations.

If you need any help finding a psych, let me know :) I don't know anyone up that way personally, but I'm sure that I could find some resources for you...

ETA: From what I understand, the thumb sucking goes hand-in-glove with the hair pulling, because they're both soothing to the child...

[EllaLucy]

Hi i am so happy to see your post as my daughter i am sure has trich. Aswell as pulling out her hair she eats it which is worse as it comes out in her poo which is not nice. we have tried so many times to stop it but it just doesnt work. she now sleeps in a top with the arms sewn up to see if that stops her but it hasnt to date. She is due to have her 3.5 year check up with the doctor soon so will try to get some answers then. She has been doing this since she was about 2 but then stopped for about months and has now started again. I think its stress related with her but not 100% sure. She is getting very thin just on one side that is how i know she is still doing it. Well that and the fact the hair comes out in her poo. Any answers that you have got would be greatly appreciated. THANKS

[AnnwenB]

I have been doing some research on this, as I suspect my 2 yr old daughter has trich - she has been compulsively pulling her hair for about 6 months now, and she eats it. It worries me, since hair can't be digested. I had no idea it was a condition, so it's very comforting to know there are others who can relate. Nothing I have done works - so I would appreciate ideas too!

[EarthAngel75]

I'm pretty sure this is what my sister had as a young child. She has now outgrown it. I can't remember when it may have stopped but she definately did it as a young child. She was also a thumb sucker and pulled out sections of hair, twisted them around her fingers/thumb and then sucked on the hair and thumb together.

She has suffered from OCD on various occasions over various things (went thru a phase where she wouldnt touch money at all as it was too germy for example).

[aLittleLoopy]

My DD used to eat her hair too, though not pull it out. I had to always keep her hair in a bob cut so it couldn't reach her mouth. If I let it grow longer she would start chewing it again. That lasted until about 8 or so. She doesn't suffer from anxiety or anything and was always really confident, so I'm not sure what it was. She is 13 now and doesn't chew her hair - though she will chew on the cords of her clothes if there are any near her mouth and does chew her nails.