Alopecia areata in 2.3 month old son

[Jellycat1971]

Hi
I'm a Dad, new to mumsnet, but wanting to find out of there is anybody out there who has children experiencing very sudden and severe hair loss. My toddler son has lost a great deal of hair from the top of his scalp in the last 4 weeks and I strongly suspect diffuse alopecia areata, which seems to be rare and perhaps stress related. The onset seems to have coincided with starting nursery and that may or may not be a factor. He's a happy kid and settling into that fine, although of course myself and his mum are very upset to see bald patches appearing on his head and seemingly increasing in size daily. He has seen a dermatologist who thinks it may be this condition and my boy has been referred to hospital. Meanwhile, I'm reading everything I can find about it.

Is there anyone out there who recognizes this condition and who may be offer the benefit of their experience? Any advice would be deeply appreciated.

Thank you.

I had alopecia as a teen and my hair would literally come out in clumps. I tried everything and in the end went to see a homeopath. hair started to grow back and touch wood never had it since.

mine was stress related.

is your child happy at nursery? There are lots of herbal stuff you can try

Hope it sorts itself out soon

Hi

Thanks for your reply. That's great your hair grew back - how long ago was that? I have been thinking about the homeopathy route - what was the treatment called that helped you? I'm trying to find all the information I can get that will help my son. He is fine at nursery but initially I think he was nervous, as any child is. This is the only trigger I can think of.

My dd's hair came out in handfuls when she was three - I always blamed the worming tablets she'd taken a couple of weeks earlier, and the doctors agreed with me. But this could have been complete coincidence.

FWIW, after a year or so, her hair had grown back in, and now (aged 14) there has never been any further hairloss.

Thanks. That's very encouraging so I hope it turns out the same way for my boy.

Hi there,

I took my DS (9) to the doctor earlier today after noticing quite a large bald patch earlier in the day. He has been diagnosed with alopecia areata as well. The GP seemed sure (was expecting a referral to a specialist) and took a hair sample and some photographs.

DS went through an extremely stressful year in 2012 and I wonder if this is the cause. It's very upsetting but we are hoping there will be no more loss, and that this patch will grow back. I wish the same for you...