If your son or daughter compulsively pulls the hairs from their head or eyelashes, it is very likely that they have trichotillomania. It is a type of disorder that occurs in childhood and adolescence. In the vast majority of cases the thing should not go further and disappear over time, so you do not have to worry excessively. However, there are much more serious cases that will require specific treatment.
In the following article we explain the causes or reasons why such a disorder may occur and the guidelines and advice that parents should follow to be able to solve this disorder in children and young people.
What is Trichotillomania Disorder
The child or young person who suffers from such a problem will feel great pleasure when pulling their hair out of the cabeza or eyelashes. The most common age to suffer from this disorder is from adolescence. In order to give yourself trichotillomania, there are a number of factors that must be observed:
- The child or young person has significant bald spots either on the scalp or in the eyebrow area.
- Before pulling out the hair, the person is in quite a significant stress situation. By performing the action of pulling the hair, the person feels great relief.
- Bald spots are produced by pulling hair in a compulsive way. There is no type of hair problem.
Why are there children who pull out their hair or hair
There are many causes or factors that can lead a young person or child to choose to pull their hair from their head or their eyelashes. There may be a family history or environmental factors such as anxiety or stress.
There are a number of emotions that can lead a child to pull their hair from their scalp:
- Negative emotions such as high episodes of stress or anxiety. The child is unmotivated or bored and this leads him to pull out large amounts of hair or hair.
- Emotions can also be positive like the fact of feeling great pleasure when removing hair from your head or eyelashes.
On many occasions, the action of pulling out the hair is not linked to any type of emotion. The child or young person does it without realizing it, either while studying or watching television.
What damage does this type of disorder cause
- The most visible damage is physical. It is normal for a lot of bald spots to appear on the scalp or on the eyelashes. Wounds and scars are also present. There are cases in which hair and hair are ingested with the digestive problems that this entails for the child.
- Emotional problems also appear, leading to serious damage to the child's self-esteem and security. It is a type of behavior of which they are not at all proud and can suffer episodes of depression and anxiety.
- Another type of problem quite common in children and young people who suffer from this disorder has to do with social relationships. They have serious difficulties maintaining social contact with friends and they are often the subject of numerous ridicule
What should parents do
If parents observe that their child does not stop pulling his hair, it is good to go to the pediatrician. The normal thing is that there is a referral to the psychological area. It is important to find the cause of such disorder and from there to work with the child or young person to solve the problem. Apart from the therapy work, some type of drug can be administered to help the child reduce anxiety or stress levels.
Ultimately, Trichotillomania is a disorder that is more common than it may seem at first. In the vast majority of cases, there is no need to worry. If the problem persists and is getting worse, it is advisable to seek help from a professional.