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AIBU?

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Original poster

5 year old white hair

76 replies

Anonaeee65 · 28/05/2021 17:01

Just found a white hair on my daughter whose 5. I have seen it/another one a few times now but I just assumed maybe a thread or something else so dismissed it. I’m looking at one now and it’s white and is a strand of hair. Do I need to worry? Tried calling doctor since this afternoon but as usual not getting through

OP posts:
User5485421134 · 28/05/2021 18:09

AIBU to wonder what OP wrote that warranted 3 deleted posts from Mumsnet?!

My aunt found a single white hair on my cousin when he was a toddler. Seems quite common based on the answers here, although probably alarming if you see it for the first time on your own child.

kneesbentarmsstretchedrararaaa · 28/05/2021 18:12

I'm sure a GP would rather reassure a worried mother than see a seriously ill child after warning signs were ignored.

OP I'm naturally blonde and have a single black hair. I've always had it, all my life. Hopefully your daughter just has the same harmless anomaly.

seashells11 · 28/05/2021 18:13

Why have a go at Op for calling the doctor. If she's worried she's worried. GPs don't exactly seem over worked these days either. What DO they respond to.

EmeraldShamrock · 28/05/2021 18:13

I never knew it was an issue. DS has a square white patch from birth. Off to Google for a diagnoses.

Kokosrieksts · 28/05/2021 18:16

OP please don’t let others make you feel bad for having called the doctor. It’s so wrong that in the UK you aren’t allowed to seek medical help unless you are about to cark it.

Sh05 · 28/05/2021 18:18

Each of my dc besides the toddler have one white hair, it's really odd because they all have it in the same spot. Never thought to worry about it but if you're worried try and make s non emergency appointment ( if you can!). Our surgery are still triaging over the phone and actual appointments are very rare.

a8mint · 29/05/2021 00:34

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

DeflatedGinDrinker · 29/05/2021 00:45

My sons got an autoimmune disease and has always had 1 strand of grey/white hair since he was really little I didn't even realise it could be linked.

DietrichandDiMaggio · 29/05/2021 00:58

I can't believe somebody seeing ONE white hair on a child would consider it a medical issue and start googling for rare illnesses and calling the GP.

lceniWarrior · 29/05/2021 07:20

@EmeraldShamrock

I never knew it was an issue. DS has a square white patch from birth. Off to Google for a diagnoses.
This is what mine is like. Never gave it much thought until DD developed patches on her leg. www.medicinenet.com/image-collection/vitiligo_punch_grafts_picture/picture.htm
lceniWarrior · 29/05/2021 07:21

Strange. That link for me has a hair patch but not when I click on the one above.

Cryalot2 · 29/05/2021 07:27

Sorry op distressed. It's even more distressing trying to speak to a dr here.
But what makes op think that it could be an autoimmune condition or anything serious?
You can get random white hairs which are harmless ( I hope this is the case)
Hoping op treated better than she would be in our practice.

Holly60 · 29/05/2021 07:37

@a8mint

Is this a wind up? Phoning the gp for a white hair Hmm
Erm … I would do the same. It isn’t normal for children to have white hair?!
Holly60 · 29/05/2021 07:41

[quote Anonaeee65]@anothernewtop no actually I don’t. I’m not medically trained hence calling daughter and was trying to get some support on here whilst waiting.[/quote]
I would do the same just to be sure. I find it odd the number of people saying they wouldn’t call for one white hair. Not very responsible parenting when it takes a 5 minute phone call to rule out anything serious. I’m sure it is fine OP but I think it’s sensible to call and check

birdglasspen · 29/05/2021 08:05

I've had a tiny strip go white hair since I was young and hit my head. late 30's now no other white! I'm sure she will be fine!

JemimaJoy · 29/05/2021 09:05

It's so sad that, in the UK, we would rather take risks with our children's health then contact the GP (that we pay for) to be on the safe side, just because we are so petrified of "wasting their time". I didn't realise what a pitifuk state the NHS was in until I realised that people in other countries don't ever do this - they don't take risks and the doctors never make them feel like they're wasting their time. I'd go to the GP for ANYTHING if it worried me, you are right to, OP. Just because some people arent cautious doesn't mean you're wrong to be.

anothernewtop · 29/05/2021 09:19

It's so sad that, in the UK, we would rather take risks with our children's health then contact the GP (that we pay for) to be on the safe side, just because we are so petrified of "wasting their time".

I think it's more a case of applying common sense. It's a shame more people can't do it. A single white hair on a child is an indicator of nothing.

LynetteScavo · 29/05/2021 09:21

One white hair is very different to a strand.

Personally I wouldn't worry about one white hair (which I've found in two of my DCs hair) but would be more concerned about a strand- a childhood friend with an auto-immune disease had a strand at grey.

anothernewtop · 29/05/2021 09:47

@LynetteScavo

One white hair is very different to a strand.

Personally I wouldn't worry about one white hair (which I've found in two of my DCs hair) but would be more concerned about a strand- a childhood friend with an auto-immune disease had a strand at grey.

A strand of hair is one hair though
PainterInPeril · 29/05/2021 10:11

@birdglasspen Snap! That happened to me too! And there's me thinking I was the only one...ShockGrin I was bullied relentlessly because of that (and other stuff). Were you bullied, or were kids ok with it?

HunkyPunk · 29/05/2021 10:31

I would have hoped that it's one of the main parts of a GP's job, to reassure people that their symptoms are nothing to worry about? There are many things that can go wrong with us - some have worrying symptoms but are easily fixed, some have minimal symptoms but can be serious. We pay GPs to help us distinguish one from the other, don't we? Interesting to know what people think is the role of a GP?

anothernewtop · 29/05/2021 10:53

@HunkyPunk

I would have hoped that it's one of the main parts of a GP's job, to reassure people that their symptoms are nothing to worry about? There are many things that can go wrong with us - some have worrying symptoms but are easily fixed, some have minimal symptoms but can be serious. We pay GPs to help us distinguish one from the other, don't we? Interesting to know what people think is the role of a GP?

I think reassurance is an aside and not an expectation. We should be able to reasonably assess basic things before bringing them to the GP.

GPS are there to treat/refer.

Mumsnet goes mad for a GP though.

LynetteScavo · 30/05/2021 14:12

@anothernewtop I understand "a single strand of hair" to be one hair, where as a "strand" of hair would be several hairs. Maybe I should have used "lock" it "clump", but when taking with friends or a hairdresser about colouring hair, we would take a "strand" to test a toner and it would involve several hairs.

Did you really not understand what I was trying to convey?

littlepattilou · 30/05/2021 14:15

@LynetteScavo

One white hair is very different to a strand.

Personally I wouldn't worry about one white hair (which I've found in two of my DCs hair) but would be more concerned about a strand- a childhood friend with an auto-immune disease had a strand at grey.

This. ^
littlepattilou · 30/05/2021 14:15

@Anonaeee65

Ooooh, maybe she is actually a witch? Or a Snow Queen like Elsa?!! Smile

Sorry. I didn't mean to mock!

If you're really worried, call the GP. I am sure it's nothing and is probably just a VERY blonde hair!