18 month old pulling out his hair

amother

Mon, Dec 15 2014, 8:18 pm

OP
amother, does your son just pull his hair out, or does he also put it on his thumb to suck? Mine likes to suck on it on his thumb. In all honesty, I'd much rather he be sucking on his own hair, as much as I cringe just thinking about it, than sucking on the synthetic hair of a doll or my little pony that's been treated and dyed.
But that's my opinion.

I'm feeling less and less optimistic about this.

I came on here hoping to hear stories about kids who outgrew this "habit" on their own with little or no intervention, as my ped initially reassured me.

amother

Mon, Dec 15 2014, 9:36 pm

im the amother that wrote about my sister.

my parents tried giving her a brush of hairs to pick from instead of her head (vs a synthetic doll) and it was a no go. she wanted HER hair. and she used to play with it while she sucked her thumb (around her finger, running over her hand etc)

once she didnt have hair then she wanted the brush but my parents denied her any hair because then once its easily in reach on her head after it grew back whats stopping her from going back? They got her a soft beanie baby with short "fur" to play with (that she still has)

as much as you hate the idea I wouldnt wait to much longer to go with the extreme measures. the older they are the harder till the habits die, plus the more the kid will realize*. and at this point you have a good few months of wearing hats outside so other people wont see.

*not to say the kid wont realize. I remember after her bath after she was shaved my sister was walking from the bathroom to her bedroom and passed the mirror, saw herself and started screaming. she was used to it a day or two later tho.

hatzlocha!

FranticFrummie

Mon, Dec 15 2014, 9:47 pm

The reason why using substitute won't work, is because part of the soothing is the feeling of having a hair pulled out of the scalp. The short burst of pain can actually be very calming, because it provides endorphins.

DD went to group therapy sessions with a girl her age who was nearly bald from pulling her hair out. She was a very pretty girl, but had terrible anxiety. She really liked the pain when her hair came out.

It's the same biofeedback mechanism that makes teens want to self injure, or makes toddlers pound their heads against a hard floor over and over again.

amother

Mon, Dec 15 2014, 10:08 pm

amother wrote:

Previous amother.

So my ds pulls out his hair and puts it in his mouth. I really dont want him to eat synthetic hair either therefore the pediatrician strongly suggested that I keep a close look at him whenever he's pulling the pony hair.

amother

Sat, Jan 03 2015, 11:57 pm

OP here

I cut the hair shorter albeit not cropped as close to his scalp as I should have, as he can still pull at it.

For those who recommended cutting hair -how do you convince an 18 month old to keep a hat on his head???? As soon as he can, he pulls it off.

Dolly Welsh

Sun, Jan 04 2015, 1:05 am

Forget the hat. No hair.

As for FF's idea about endorphins, that sounds like a person who isn't getting enough space and running. Space and running and climbing and exercise also produce endorphins.

The park.

A swing. In the house.

A climbing structure. With a rubber mat under it. Right in the house.

The other kids will tease mercilessly if he has unusual habits of any kind so do not think you are being kind.

The house may be too crowded.

amother

Sun, Jan 04 2015, 12:45 pm

my ds pulled out his hair until he was practically bald he was 15 months. he stopped when he didn't have any hair to pull now he is 2.5 and his hair grew back and he doesn't touch it now. it was also at a time when we had a flood in the house which I think he picked up on and was traumatized from it but once we where settled back home that also helped him stop.