Children can have serious hair problems too!

Shivali, like all mothers, wanted to give the best to her son, Neel. At the same time, like all mothers, she also expected the very best from Neel in everything he did. Be it studies, computers, swimming, cricket, elocution and so on. Consequently, the young 12-year-old was always under constant pressure and stress which Shivali as a mother could never observe, see or feel. Until one fine day, while oiling Neel's hair, she spotted a patch the size of a one rupee coin at the back of his scalp.

To her horror, her trichologist described this patch as an auto immune reaction brought about by stress, leading to a stress related baldness called Alopecia areata. More and more young children in today's modern world are coming up with stress related symptoms of hair such as Alopecia areata and Trichotillomania. Dr Apoorva Shah, Founder of RichFeel, lists out the various hair problems that children suffer from.

Alopecia areata: Children with this condition have a complete loss of hair in some areas of the scalp, sometimes up to two inches in diameter, without scalp redness or scaling. Another finding can be pitting of the nails in children with this condition. Why the hair falls out from the roots is still a mystery. What is known is that the condition is not contagious, nor caused by foods. This is an auto immune problem. The main cause is stress - physical or mental. In 20% of cases, another family member has been affected. Because the hair loss can sometimes be psychologically devastating for the child, immediate help is a must. It is advisable to consult a trichologist who is qualified to tackle hair related issues and will treat the problem with specific amino acids. Oddly, the new hair may temporarily be white, but eventually the hair returns to its natural colour.

Alopecia Totalis: This is the next stage of Alopecia areata. In this, a person starts losing hair on the entire scalp.

Alopecia Universalis: This is the next stage of Alopecia Totalis. Here, a person starts losing hair on the entire scalp and also body hair including eyebrows, eyelashes and facial hair.

Pseudopelade: This is a stage which comes when the above three stages are crossed. In Pseudopelade, non-scarring Alopecia becomes scarring alopecia (the hair roots are dead and there is no chance of regrowth). In this, the skin of the scalp becomes very hard.

Trichotillomania: This is a condition in which a child actually pulls the hair out, leaving an irregular patch of hair loss with broken off hair of different sizes, mainly on the scalp, but may involve the eyebrows and eyelashes as well. The habit of pulling out one's hair is usually practised in bed before falling asleep or when the child is studying or watching television. Interestingly, parents are usually not aware of the habit and frequently find it hard to believe that their child would pull out their own hair. Affected areas of hair loss often appear on the left side of right-handed children and on the right side of left-handed youngsters. Most cases of trichotillomania resolve spontaneously. The best treatment is to ignore the hair pulling and concentrate on why the child is anxious, nervous or frustrated. Since it is a psychological problem connected with the hair, treatment will involve counseling.

Hair problems due to poor hygiene

Lice: Lice are a very common problem, especially for kids ages 3 to 12 years (girls more often than boys). Lice aren't dangerous and they don't spread disease, but they are contagious and can just be downright annoying. These bites may cause your child's scalp to become itchy and inflamed and persistent scratching may lead to skin irritation and even infection. For some kids, the irritation is mild; for others, a more bothersome rash with crusting and oozing may develop. It's also not unusual for kids to develop some swelling in their lymph glands. Excessive scratching can also lead to a bacterial infection (the skin would become red and tender around the bite area).

Dandruff: Dandruff is the result of the normal growing process of the skin cells of the scalp. In a normal scalp, the process of sloughing off old cells and manufacturing of their replacements is very orderly and complete. In a scalp with dandruff, there is mass disorder and often the departing cells are not dead before leaving the scalp. Dandruff can cause either an overly dry scalp with itchy white flakes that may be waxy or greasy or dandruff can manifest as an oily, greasy scalp with scales. Dandruff is usually seasonal. It is most severe during the winter and mildest during the summer. Dandruff scales usually occur as small, round, white-to-grey patches on top of the head. Scaling can occur anywhere on the scalp, in the hair, on the eyebrows, the beard and can spread to the neck and shoulders. Dandruff is often known as 'dry scalp', but people with oily scalps tend to suffer the most. Since dandruff is a natural process, it can not be eliminated. It can only be managed and controlled.

Tinea capitis: Tinea Capitis or ringworm is a common cause of hair loss in children. The condition is caused by a fungus (not a worm!) that invades the hair shaft and causes the hair to break. It can cause patches of hair loss, with broken hair (black dot ringworm), scales, enlarged lymph glands, or the formation of a kerion a large, red, boggy nodule on the scalp. There may also be mild scalp itching and scaling. Ringworm of the scalp is not dangerous. Without treatment, however, the hair loss can be considerable and some children will develop a boggy tender swelling of the scalp known as a kerion. The condition is transmitted by contact, from one infected child to another through the sharing of combs, brushes, hats, barrettes, pillows and bath towels. Minor bruising of the scalp occasionally provides an entry for the microscopic fungus. Children three to ten years of age are more susceptible to ringworm infection and boys are affected more than the girls.

Hair related problems may affect children leading to severe hair and scalp disorders ultimately affecting the confidence of a young child. Tender care, proper food habits, good hair hygiene, allowing the child to grow up normally without putting peer pressure and a regular hair check-up with a trichologist is a must for all growing children.

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