Hair loss in children is a factor in about 3 percent of all pediatrician visits, according to The American Hair Loss Foundation. It can occur for many reasons, including cancer treatment, ringworm, damage to the hair shaft, telogen effluvium (a disorder affecting the hair's natural lifecycle) and a little-understood condition called alopecia areata. Depending on the cause and treatment of the condition, the hair loss can be permanent or temporary. In either case, the effects on the child can be traumatic.
Step 1
Contact the child's physician for a thorough diagnosis of the condition. If possible, keep records of when the hair loss began and the circumstances (skin condition, illnesses, medications, and so on) surrounding it. Your physician may want a lock of hair to submit for analysis.
Step 2
After you get the diagnosis, follow the physician's directions for treating the hair loss, including the scalp and any remaining hair. Use all medications and treatments as instructed. Let the child ask any questions she may have.
Step 3
If possible, have a hairpiece made before the hair loss is severe or complete to best match the child's natural hair color.
Step 4
Encourage your child to talk about his feelings about the hair loss. He may be angry, sad, afraid or frustrated, and these feelings will fluctuate often. Listen to what he wants or needs. Some children prefer to be alone with their thoughts. Others want to live their lives as normally as possible. Others want to talk to vent about their feelings.
Step 5
Ask your child if she wants to wear a hairpiece, a hat or a bandanna. If her eyebrows are affected, show her how to use an eyebrow pencil to fill them in.
Step 6
If your child is teased or bullied because of the hair loss, treat the situation as you would any other similar situation. Consult teachers, counselors and school administrators. Encourage your child to assert herself and perhaps come up with one liners to deflect teasing such as: "My brain needed room to expand" or "I can put on a hat, but you can't hide that face."
Step 7
Contact ChildrenWithHairLoss.com (see Reference section) for resources. Many hospitals and community organizations in metropolitan areas have support groups for children who have lost their hair, are physically disfigured or have severe illnesses. Some children are encouraged by meeting other children in similar circumstances
Tips and Warnings
- Treat the hair loss as a normal thing. If the child sees that you are not making a big deal over the hair loss or trying to hide it, he will more easily accept it. Use mild shampoos and soft brushes on the scalp. A hat, bandanna, scarf or hairpiece can not only make hair loss less obvious but it can also protect the scalp. Likewise, a satin pillowcase may be less irritating to a sensitive scalp. Consult organizations such as ChildrenWithHairLoss.com, which can provide supplies and resources to children with long- and short-term hair loss. Encourage your child to donate remaining hair to Locks of Love (see Resources section); however, note that the organization has requirements as to hair length and condition. Follow your child's lead when referring to synthetic hair: Some prefer the term "wig," but others prefer "hairpiece."
- Never nag your child about expressing his feelings. He will share them when he's ready. But make it clear that you are available to talk if he needs you. Do not shave off the remaining hair because doing so could cut the scalp and lead to infection.
Things You'll Need
- Soft brushes
- Mild shampoo
- Hairpiece or head covering (as desired and chosen by the child)
- Eyebrow pencil to match the child's natural eyebrow color (as desired by the child)
- Sunscreen (as recommended by the child's physician)
- Silk pillowcase (as recommended by the child's physician)
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