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Pedis - I need help please!!! :-(

jeffraejeffrae member
in Parenting after a Loss

Adelyn has beautiful long hair.  I mean - like 5 inches long if not more.  Well, this past week she has literally starting ripping it out in handfuls.  She does it when she is upset, tired, and sometimes for no apparent reason. 

Background - she has always had a fixation with hair.  She would take my hair and put it in her mouth as a soothing aid if she did not have her paci.  Then when her hair got long enough she would take out her paci, put the ends of her hair in her mouth and then put paci back in.  Or she eats shedded hair off the floor, my clothes, etc. 

Fast forward to this week - she has started ripping out her hair in clumps.  She actually gave herself a widows peak from ripping out both sides (regardless if put in ponytail or left down).  Daycare was horrified yesterday because she did it there.  they kept all the hair for us to see - but we saw it this past weekend.  She woke up a few nights ago with clumps of hair in her fists and wrapped around her fingers.

I just bought her this scruffy little kitty that we are now encouraging her to hold onto (she can hold onto the shorter hair).  It seems to work alright at NIGHT (putting it between her arms when she sleep).  But any other time - even if we are holding her - she keeps ripping her hair out.  

She won't wear a hat - so that is no help....even if it has ties.  We have pinned down her hands - but she will go straight for the hair once we let go.  Daycare said they have never seen this before.  There have not really been any major changes other then teething.

HELP!!!!

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Re: Pedis - I need help please!!! :-(

  • dkfitz07dkfitz07
    No advice...but poor thing.
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  • Leah11599Leah11599
    Poor baby! I have no idea and havent ever heard of this either. Maybe call her pedi and see if they have any experience or advice.
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  • UseonfireUseonfire
    I hope it is not this, but I have heard of cases of Trichotillomania (basically a hair pulling OCD) in toddlers. It's a very rare disorder but what you said might fit with it. 
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  • mchell9mchell9 member
    Poor babes!  So sorry for you too- it must break your heart.  Could it be some kind of sensory  thing...like she's looking for some kind of sensory input...??
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  • attyaliceattyalice
    I had a friend who had this as a child... I don't remember how they dealt with it... but I do know that she has hair now and she grew out of it... I just wanted to give you some encouraging words... ((hugs))
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  • jeffraejeffrae member
    we are seeing pedi today due to pink eye (potential).  We are planning on talking to him about it then....but I am worried he might just say that there is nothing we can do.
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  • lkstorlkstor
    Usually just a self-stimulating behavior. Drawing attention to it, correcting it, punishing it, etc will usually make it worse. Best to ignore it entirely. And honestly it is probably best to cut her hair short so she can't grab it easily until she gets over this phase.
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  • vml14vml14
    Our LO did this for a while I think it was around when she was 8-9 months old-- it probably lasted a couple of months, and she definitely pulled out enough hair that she gave herself huge bald spots in the back.  Our pedi told us that it was probably a self-soothing thing, and that it would pass.  They also said it could be her trying to figure out her grip, and she just couldn't figure out how to hold on less tightly.  It passed after a while, and her hair has grown back.  Now, she still strokes her hair, but doesn't pull it out anymore.  Good luck! 
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