2 year old dad pulling her hair out

[Littlesparrow0]

Please someone help me with this, I'm distraught with what to do on this matter.
My dd has always played with her hair from about 7 months she also pulls it round and into her mouth to suck on. But early last yr she began actually pulling lumps of her hair out at the front, so much so that she created a huge bald spot at the front of her head. She was also eating hair and was pooing it out. I took her to the hv and gp both agreed to me distracting her as much as possible as they were more afraid she end up needing surgery if the hair caused a blockage. If distraction wasn't working- cut her hair and start all over.

So march last yr I had to cut her beautiful hair! Which broke me... but I knew it would grow back and so long as she wasn't eating it that was more important.

Fast forward to now a yr later. Her hair has all came back to down past her shoulders but she started pulling again a few weeks ago and now has another huge bald spot on her crown!

I've no idea what to do anymore!! Shes pulled so much that not only does she have a big obvious bald spot, her hair is fine now as she's pulled so much away.

She does this when she's worked up but also does it when she's relaxing. Im not sure if its habit or a sensory thing but im at my wits end and don't want to shave off her gorgeous hair especially in winter!

Can anyone at all give me some advice on this

omg just to state its my daughter. NOT dad pulling it out as title suggests... Damn autocorrect. Its meant to say DD NOT DAD

Gosh, I did read it as dad pulling your daughter's hair out!
I'm afraid I have no real advice as no experience with this but just wanted to say I remember reading an article about a teen girl with a related hair issue. I really don't want to scare you but the girl died from contently swallowing her hair - there was so much inside her. I was shocked as I had a habit at the time of sucking on my long plait - I stopped promptly! I've just googled and I think this was the article (although I thought it was longer ago so may be a different girl). They mention something called Trichotillomania which may be worth looking into? I imagine you want to nip it in the bud regardless... Can you ask for a referral to a specialist, at the very least for peace of mind? It sounds quite stressful. As I say I hope I've not scared you and I'm sure your GP would have said if he/she was extremely concerned, but this article might give you a direction to look for advice at least. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful but I didnt want to ignore your post.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/rapunzel-syndrome-girl-eat-own-hair-16-year-old-jasmine-beever-a7955056.html%3famp

My son is 7 and since the age of three he has had four episodes of pulling his hair out. He currently has a large bald patch. No advice as I have not found a way to stop it. Distraction has been my main strategy. I find it very upsetting too. I did find a website for trichotillomania a while ago - which I probably need to look at again. Hope that things get easier

Can you get her a chewable necklace, to try to replace the bad habit with a healthier one?
Maybe also cut her hair shorter and cut in a fringe, so the hair around her face is not long enough to put in her mouth

just to update this... ive since taken her dummy away and the pulling on her hair and sucking her hair seems to have stopped for now at least. . I think she was doing it as a comfort thing but time will tell. Its now a week from taking a dummy off her completely and I havent seen her pull anymore hair. Fingers crossed it was a comfort thing with the dummy

I have trichotillomania since I was 13/14 and I'm 37 now.
It is not something that is easy to stop, and I feel for you that your young daughter also suffers.
I have read that often infant sufferers grow out of it as they age.
There is a Facebook group "trichotillomania UK" that has other parents and sufferers on.
Not drawing attention to it is important. The more someone says "stop pulling" the more determined I am to pull. Try to distract her, without making it obvious why. My partner always tries to distract me but I see through him.
It is an exhausting condition. A constant mental fight between wanting and not wanting to pull.
I do it mostly when I'm relaxing, or doing something monotonous like watching TV, driving, etc.
I wish you and your daughter well, but I'm afraid I have no answers. I really wish I did.

Hello Littlesparrow0

Just wondered how you got on with this with your little one. My 2 year old dd also does this and I'm at my wits end. It breaks my heart to see her doing it.

Hi @Littlesparrow0 Did you get anywhere with this? We are dealing with the same!

Hey @Taytaymama We're dealign with the same here too. Did you get anywhere with it?

@KatyMcGhie sorry for the late reply. It has settled for us but not completely. It got worse after my post then settled down. My daughter tends to only do this now when she's tired. I'm keeping an eye on it and dreading the move up to the next class in nursery as this seemed to be the trigger for us earlier this year.

How are you getting on with your little one?

@Taytaymama so sorry to hear you’re still dealing with it. We are too! I find if she’s bored, watched too much telly or is tired then we get more too. She went through a phase where she wouldn’t go anywhere without her teddy which calmed it down, but she’s stopped that now and the hair pulling is back. Top tip is coconut oil in the hair. We do that at bedtime and she doesn’t pull it out because she can’t, but can still play with it. I got a message back from someone who posted years and years ago, and she said it just went away in the end. I spoke with a child therapist, who I just randomly met, who said that it’s nothing to worry about and as soon as she can speak it will go. This correlates with a lot of what other mums have said. I just worry constantly that she’ll end up with Trichotilomania as an adult, which would make her life very hard! Trying to stay calm. Keep me updated!