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DS suddenly pulling hair out

2 replies

Flump9 · 06/10/2021 20:40

Ds9 is on the spectrum and the last couple of weeks I noticed him twirling his hair which is longish as that's how he wanted it. I noticed a few wispy bits where the hair was breaking and tried to get him to stop doing it but he's doing it without thinking. The past couple of days it's got worse and he's pulling it out and wrapping it around his fingers and suddenly today his hair looks really thin at the front and he will properly have a friar tuck bald spot within days if this carries on. I think it's shocked him a bit and he wants to stop doing it so any advice to get him to stop it? I've given him some bits of wool to twirl with this evening, will his school let him fidget with something at school? He says he does pull it out at school. He doesn't have an EHCP but does usually have IEP but not seen one for a while. Or maybe a large elastic band or hair tie type thing he can twiddle with? We'll be getting his hair cut a lot shorter as soon as I can get him in somewhere but he doesn't suit really short so think he may still pull at it. Or is cutting it pretty short the only answer?

OP posts:
Givemethenight · 07/10/2021 00:05

Read up about N-acetylcysteine, NAC, an antioxidant, used for repetitive behaviours such as trichotillomania.

Justalittlebit10 · 07/10/2021 01:05

My son did this at exactly the same age. I didn't realise until we were out in the wind one day and his floppy fringe flew back and he had a huge bald spot underneath it! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!
He did stop pretty soon after I noticed though and it grew back quickly.
He did unfortunately go on to various other habits but all stopped by the time he was about 11.

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