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My toddler is hair pulling and eating it
I've already spoken to a few pediatricians in my area who have all told me that my two year olds obession with hair eating and pulling it out of her head is habit and similar to a child who ***** their thumb or twirls their hair...and they all tell me to redirect her and she'll outgrow it.
My fiance and I spend a lot of poopy diapers pulling hair from her rectum. She has been constipated and has also shown explosive poops too. I've tried everything from distraction, redirection, raising my tone, time out, to even slapping her hand...nothing is working at this point. She's been eating hair since she was approximately 6 months old. She is going to be three in September. I've read what this can do to her digestive system. I am at witts end. I do not want her hospitalized over something that we could have done to prevent it. I am looking for some advice from other moms and dad and doctors who have been through this themselves and can shed some light on this scary addiction.
My fiance and I spend a lot of poopy diapers pulling hair from her rectum. She has been constipated and has also shown explosive poops too. I've tried everything from distraction, redirection, raising my tone, time out, to even slapping her hand...nothing is working at this point. She's been eating hair since she was approximately 6 months old. She is going to be three in September. I've read what this can do to her digestive system. I am at witts end. I do not want her hospitalized over something that we could have done to prevent it. I am looking for some advice from other moms and dad and doctors who have been through this themselves and can shed some light on this scary addiction.
Are there any updates on the children previously mentioned in this? I noticed most posts are quite a bit older. I'm experiencing the same thing with my 3 year old. I talked with our family doctor and he just kind of blew it off as nothing to worry about and didn't have any resources for mental health for toddlers anywhere near us. But I'm getting very concerned. My daughter eats her hair constantly and every single poop comes out with hair that I have to pull to get the poop out. Now it's to the point it won't pull out. I just don't know what to do or who to even contact because her Dr won't do anything to help.
2 Comments
How old is your child? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trichotillomania/symptoms-causes/syc-20355188 Is a real disorder and my niece who suffers it began as a young girl. She's in her thirties now and at one point, began wearing a professional hair piece made for those who suffer this condition. This most often develops between 10 and 13 but can start earlier. Maybe it is nothing but I'd watch and consult with a psychiatrist if it continues.
She is 3 and a half.
I found this forum because I have the exact same concerns as you guys. I have answers!
My son started at a few months old. He'd have this thing with pulling my hair in the back in the same exact spot. I blew it off as if it was typical younger child behavior. Nothing serious. A couple of months passed and he clearly started pulling his two older sister's hair. First it was my one daughter's ponytail then literally handful grabs of their hair from the front of their hair. When we'd fuss about pulling their hair he started pulling his own hair by the handfuls. His thing is he pulls the hair and immediately sticks it in his mouth. He finds hair off of the floor even sees the tiniest strands of hair on people's clothes that unless you were looking for it you wouldn't typically see it. We went to the pediatrician. We were dismissed because he's so young and there is NO WAY they'd diagnose a child that young with a problem. They'll grow out of it, right? Without the backing of the doctor's and an ongoing problem with huge bald spots we opted to cut his hair super low. He'd still touch his head until we got good at distracting him enough to stop.
Quite a few months has passed now that his hair has grown back. Well, the last maybe month we noticed he'd gradually rub his hands through his hair. We'd panic without displaying it, but no hair pulling. Then we noticed he went back to pulling the girl's babydoll's hair again, or the occasional finding hair in the carpet and right into the mouth. Well, this past week he is full blown back to pulling handfuls of his sister's hair AND his own. He grabs it with the two fingers that he sucks on (his middle and ring fingers) and the way he grabs it it wraps around those fingers, comes out quickly and in large quantities. These doctor's aren't going to tell me there is nothing wrong with my son.
My kids are here because the parents know best. WE KNOW OUR CHILDREN!!! According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry the condition is called Trichotillomania (hair pulling). The eating of it is called Tricophagia which is directly associated with trichotillomania ..... obviously. I don't know about you guys, but I've learned to be an advocate for my children. They wouldn't be breathing right now if I hadn't. This is what your children have. You don't need a doctor to formally diagnose it by just writing it on a piece of paper. Research it and find a therapist to help if you need to get the condition under control while they are young. Be their voice guys.
https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Hair-Pulling-(Trichotillomania)-096.aspx
My son started at a few months old. He'd have this thing with pulling my hair in the back in the same exact spot. I blew it off as if it was typical younger child behavior. Nothing serious. A couple of months passed and he clearly started pulling his two older sister's hair. First it was my one daughter's ponytail then literally handful grabs of their hair from the front of their hair. When we'd fuss about pulling their hair he started pulling his own hair by the handfuls. His thing is he pulls the hair and immediately sticks it in his mouth. He finds hair off of the floor even sees the tiniest strands of hair on people's clothes that unless you were looking for it you wouldn't typically see it. We went to the pediatrician. We were dismissed because he's so young and there is NO WAY they'd diagnose a child that young with a problem. They'll grow out of it, right? Without the backing of the doctor's and an ongoing problem with huge bald spots we opted to cut his hair super low. He'd still touch his head until we got good at distracting him enough to stop.
Quite a few months has passed now that his hair has grown back. Well, the last maybe month we noticed he'd gradually rub his hands through his hair. We'd panic without displaying it, but no hair pulling. Then we noticed he went back to pulling the girl's babydoll's hair again, or the occasional finding hair in the carpet and right into the mouth. Well, this past week he is full blown back to pulling handfuls of his sister's hair AND his own. He grabs it with the two fingers that he sucks on (his middle and ring fingers) and the way he grabs it it wraps around those fingers, comes out quickly and in large quantities. These doctor's aren't going to tell me there is nothing wrong with my son.
My kids are here because the parents know best. WE KNOW OUR CHILDREN!!! According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry the condition is called Trichotillomania (hair pulling). The eating of it is called Tricophagia which is directly associated with trichotillomania ..... obviously. I don't know about you guys, but I've learned to be an advocate for my children. They wouldn't be breathing right now if I hadn't. This is what your children have. You don't need a doctor to formally diagnose it by just writing it on a piece of paper. Research it and find a therapist to help if you need to get the condition under control while they are young. Be their voice guys.
https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Hair-Pulling-(Trichotillomania)-096.aspx
You guys are saying it's a soothing technique? So did it start with breastfeeding and her twirling her mamas hair? Because that would be a bad habit
Let me begin by saying DO NOT PULL THE HAIR FROM HER ANUS because I have read that it could be intertwined with her intestines. My daughter has always had a facination with hair. She started off around 9 months pulling hers down to her mouth and sucking on it. By the time she was 1 1/2 she was pulling it out and eating it. When I first noticed this I had no idea what to do. It wasnt until the hair started making it hard for her to poop causing it to be very difficult to make her be still to change poppy diapers, that I realized there were more kids in the world doing this exact thing. At first we would try to pull the hair that was hanging but it always seemed as if it was causing her a lot of pain so we just made sure we kept her clean and started waiting until the next poppy diaper for it to come out. Around 1 1/2 I spoke to her pediatrician as well as a child physiologist whom both stated she should outgrow the soothing technique, or she may have a sensory deficit and recommended a necklace called Chewerly (found on the National Autism Website) and OT. She didnt qualify for OT because she didnt meet the criteria. The necklace did not work but they also have bracelets and other things to try. Well she will be 3 in September and I have noticed she is pulling and eating it more frequently. I wanted to shave all her hair off but after reading several stories from other Mothers it seems that is just a temporary fix....so what is the point. If there is any advice on something else to try please please share it.
My Daughter did this. Starting at around 9 months. She would play with my hair while Breast feeding and started self soothing by pulling her out then playing with it with her thumb and forefinger while sucking her thumb.
It is rough! One of the hardest things I had to work through with one of my children.
She is 4.5 now and has mostly broke this habit.
We did shave her head bald twice in a row while working on redirecting. I cried both times I had to do it. I knew it was the only way to help her.
We gave her a blanket with yarn that came out of it, like an old tied quilt. She started twirling that instead. She would pull dog hair and any hair out of the carpet when bald so it wasn't n immediate fix.
It took time and I worked really hard not to shame her or discipline her ratcheting up her need to soothe.
As for trichrolomania.. yes of you read on people that pull hair and eat it then it would fit that description. However not for babies so young. For a baby it's just a soothing mechanism. Like some suck thumbs, some rub there favorite blankie, some take a binky. They are far to young to have OCD coping behaviors.
TRUE trich won't manifest until teenage years. I do have a mother and sister with the disorder. So I am particularly aware of it, and the irony of having a baby that did the same thing but research shows kids that young do not have Trich.
It's like any bad soothing behavior you try to phase out, this just feels more urgent because it's self destructive.
It is rough! One of the hardest things I had to work through with one of my children.
She is 4.5 now and has mostly broke this habit.
We did shave her head bald twice in a row while working on redirecting. I cried both times I had to do it. I knew it was the only way to help her.
We gave her a blanket with yarn that came out of it, like an old tied quilt. She started twirling that instead. She would pull dog hair and any hair out of the carpet when bald so it wasn't n immediate fix.
It took time and I worked really hard not to shame her or discipline her ratcheting up her need to soothe.
As for trichrolomania.. yes of you read on people that pull hair and eat it then it would fit that description. However not for babies so young. For a baby it's just a soothing mechanism. Like some suck thumbs, some rub there favorite blankie, some take a binky. They are far to young to have OCD coping behaviors.
TRUE trich won't manifest until teenage years. I do have a mother and sister with the disorder. So I am particularly aware of it, and the irony of having a baby that did the same thing but research shows kids that young do not have Trich.
It's like any bad soothing behavior you try to phase out, this just feels more urgent because it's self destructive.
Hi ive read all of the comments and I would have to agree on cutting her hair. I am unfamiliar with this disorder but it seems that a lot of anxiety is involved. I wish you the best.
This does sound like trichotillomania and it is not exactly the same thing as thumb sucking. My niece had this - also started about the age of 6 months. The good news is that when seen this young, most children outgrow it by age 5 or 7. There a few behavioral things that you can try (getting her something else to twirl when she feels the need, distraction, etc), but as you know, these do not always work so well with very young children. We did eventually cut my nieces hair really really short and that stopped it. When her hair grew back the habit was gone and did not return. But we also kept it short for at least 6 months. I strongly recommend cutting her hair. My niece looked like Mia Farrow and got so many compliments during that time. Good luck.
2 Comments
Hi - I am so happy to read your comment. My 13-month-old daughter has just started pulling her eyelashes out. May I ask, where did you learn that this is typically outgrown by age 5-7? I can't seem to find any info on this disorder in babies. Thanks!!
https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Hair-Pulling-(Trichotillomania)-096.aspx
Honestly, that is better than her eating the hair whichi s quite dangerous. may seem drastic but I'd do that before subjecting her to emergency surgery for a blockage. Best of luck in getting this treated!
Until you can get the problem solved, you can control the symptom. Cut her hair off.
Hi there.Oh goodness, I am sorry to hear this. Yes, what is described above is the involunary pulling of hair and is closely related to obsessive comulsive disorder often brought on by anxiety. It can be a life long problem. I have a niece in her 20's who wears a wig because she has continued to pull her hair for so long. Very difficult for her to treat and a psychiatrist is who she works with. She takes medication which helps her.
The eating is portion is calle trichillophagia. And as actually dangerous. Hair can block the intenstines and create an emergency siutation in which surgery is necessary.
There is also something called pica which is eating unusual things like dirt, sand, ashes, etc. Does she do any of that? That is also often treated as a psychiatric issue although looking into dietary issus also is attempted. Iron in particular is something they look at to see if it is deficient in the child.
I'm sorry as this may be scaring you. A psychiatric issue in a child is hard to think about. Brain chemistry can just be out of whack and they may have to provide medication to help her at some point. It is like other medical conditions that need to be treated is all.
Continue to moniter this and I'd talk to the doctor again about the hair in the intestines. That is dangerous. Luck to you and your child, much luck
The eating is portion is calle trichillophagia. And as actually dangerous. Hair can block the intenstines and create an emergency siutation in which surgery is necessary.
There is also something called pica which is eating unusual things like dirt, sand, ashes, etc. Does she do any of that? That is also often treated as a psychiatric issue although looking into dietary issus also is attempted. Iron in particular is something they look at to see if it is deficient in the child.
I'm sorry as this may be scaring you. A psychiatric issue in a child is hard to think about. Brain chemistry can just be out of whack and they may have to provide medication to help her at some point. It is like other medical conditions that need to be treated is all.
Continue to moniter this and I'd talk to the doctor again about the hair in the intestines. That is dangerous. Luck to you and your child, much luck
Hello Apoza,
I don't have any children but I do know about this disorder so I figured I would post a comment.
It's called Trichotillomania. www.Webmd.com defines it as a hair-pulling disorder, is a mental disorder that involves an irresistible urge to pull out hair. This behavior occurs to the point of noticeable hair loss. The most common areas for hair pulling are the scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows but may involve hair anywhere on the body.
Trichotillomania is a type of impulse control disorder. Impulse control disorders are mental illnesses that involve the repeated failure to resist impulses, or urges, to act in ways that are dangerous or harmful. People with these disorders know that they can hurt themselves or others by acting on the impulses, but they cannot stop themselves.
In children, trichotillomania occurs equally in males and females. In adults, it is more common in women than in men.
I would recommend www.webmd.com or http://www.****.com/children
I hope this helps.
CharlieRae
I don't have any children but I do know about this disorder so I figured I would post a comment.
It's called Trichotillomania. www.Webmd.com defines it as a hair-pulling disorder, is a mental disorder that involves an irresistible urge to pull out hair. This behavior occurs to the point of noticeable hair loss. The most common areas for hair pulling are the scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows but may involve hair anywhere on the body.
Trichotillomania is a type of impulse control disorder. Impulse control disorders are mental illnesses that involve the repeated failure to resist impulses, or urges, to act in ways that are dangerous or harmful. People with these disorders know that they can hurt themselves or others by acting on the impulses, but they cannot stop themselves.
In children, trichotillomania occurs equally in males and females. In adults, it is more common in women than in men.
I would recommend www.webmd.com or http://www.****.com/children
I hope this helps.
CharlieRae
1 Comments
Not sure how to add a comment but just wanted to say trich is sometimes a sign of childhood sexual abuse. You should have the child checked to be safe and speak to him/her without planting information in his or her brain ex: "did _____ touch you?" dont add information like specific names.
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