Bald spots, especially in children, can be a worrisome and unsightly problem. Although some causes of bald spots are fungal, others are caused by a condition known as alopecia areata, which commonly afflicts young adults and children. This condition can sometimes be brought on by stress.
Identification
Alopecia areata is one cause of hair loss. According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, it is considered to be an autoimmune disorder, which means that it is the result of an abnormally activated immune system. In the case of this form of hair loss, the immune system misidentifies the hair follicles as something foreign and attacks them, leading to hair loss.
Stress and Alopecia Areata
Stress can exacerbate or trigger some autoimmune conditions. This is because when the body experiences either physical or emotional stress, certain proteins (called "stress" proteins) are released. One side effect of these proteins is that they can also cause activation of the immune system. Because the immune systems of children are still developing, they are especially sensitive to stress. As a result, children that are predisposed to getting alopecia areata can have this condition develop in response to stress. It is not completely understood how an individual can become predisposed to developing alopecia areata, but it does seem to run in families, which suggests a genetic component.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of alopecia areata are round patches of hair that have fallen out with no other skin abnormalities. In children, alopecia areata is commonly found after episodes of emotional stress or nervous tension. Children with alopecia areata may also suffer from other immune-mediated conditions, such as asthma.
Diagnosis
A pediatrician will commonly diagnose alopecia areata by gently pulling on hair that is at the edge of the bald spot. If it comes out of the scalp easily, the pediatrician will suspect alopecia areata as the cause for the baldness. Another way of diagnosing this condition is by looking for hairs that get narrower closer to the scalp (called "exclamation point hairs").
Treatment
According to a 1996 presentation given at the National Alopecia Areata Foundation Conference in Seattle, approximately half of all patients with alopecia areata will have their hair grow back within a year (and less than ten percent of all patients will have "severe" disease in which the hair never returns). Alopecia areata can also be treated using corticosteroid injections or creams. In the case of pediatric alopecia areata, your physician may also recommend trying to identify sources of stress and eliminate them. Some patients also improve with psychotherapy.
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