Hair pulling disorder which is formally known as trichotillomania is fairly common among children. There are many children who are pulling their hair out and this does not create any problem in their life. But if there are any damages done to the body because of the pulling of the hair then immediate treatment should be administered. Treatment should be given if the child is not able to stop the action of pulling their hair out.
After determining that the child is pulling their hair out and this is not a normal behavior the child should be helped to adopt a non-judgmental attitude towards the hair pulling behavior. By doing so, the child will think that they are doing something bad to themselves and will learn that they are also getting hurt by it.
The parents should help the child get rid of the habit. They should keep on monitoring the child’s behavior and record when and where the child is pulling their hair out. Then later the parents should make the child get involved in some other activities at the time of pulling the hair. For example if a child is about to pull their hair then the child can be distracted with a toy, which is fun to play with.
Apart from this, medical treatment should also be administered in order to get rid of the problem. The treatment should be done by a professional therapist. There are many options for treating trichotillomania like cognitive behavioral therapy, medications and some alternative therapies.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In this therapy the affected child will be thought to change their behavior to avoid pulling their hair. There are three stages in these therapies which will help the child get rid from the disorder. The therapist who is performing the therapy will make the child indulge in some other activities and will also say more about the disorder in order to create greater awareness. Methods like habit reversal training and comprehensive model for behavioral treatment will be used in cognitive behavioral therapy so that the child will be able to deal with the disorder.
Medications
As of now, pills are not so effective for the treatment of trichotillomania in children. But there are some medications which can help a lot in getting rid of the disorder. The best medication is the SSRI one. It is very effective but not for everyone. Whatever the medication is, it must be prescribed by the doctors and should be used in line with their instructions.
Alternative Therapy
Apart from CBT and medications there are some other simple methods which can be used for treating the disorder. These include change in the diet, meditation, prayer, hypnosis, yoga and herbal remedies. Whatever it is the parent should take some extra care to help the child so that the child will be free from the disorder as soon as possible.
