Some of the common causes for hair loss in children includes tinea capitis, alopecia areata, trichotiillomania, Nutritional deficiency,hypothyroidism, constant rubbing, hair abuse, to name a few.

Hair loss in children is not very common. Nonetheless it is very frightening. About 3% of children in the United States suffer from hair loss. Regular hair fall and bald patches are observable in few of those cases. However, the good news is that most of the causes of hair fall are detectable and also treatable. There are both medical as well as non-medical causes of hair-loss in children. With proper medication, attention and care, the problem can be resolved.

Read More: 11 Things To Do For Baby Hair Growth

8 Causes for Hair Loss in Children

Tinea Capitis

Tinea Capitis is a condition where a child suffers hair loss due to ringworm on the scalp. It is a kind of a fungal infection. It can appear in a number of ways. Most common of them is in the form of scaly patches. Broken hair at the surface of the skin is also a sign. Visible black dots on the scalp will be present. Ringworms are contagious. For that reason do not share your child’s objects like pillow, brushes, hats or hair clippers with others.

The diseases can be treated by means of oral antifungal medication along with antifungal Baby shampoo.

Read More: 9 Home Treatments for Hair Loss in Children

Alopecia Areata

The signs consist of round and oval patches of lost hair on the scalp. The condition is non-contagious. The patches are normally slick and smooth. There would not be any scaling or broken hair visible in this case. About 25% of the children suffering from this disease also experience pitting and ridging of their finger and toe nails.

This normally happens when a child’s immune system attacks the follicles of hair. That is why there is no known cure for this problem. However, many children have shown signs of re-growing the lost hair. There are no proper treatments. But many doctors have suggested ointments and creams.

Trichotiillomania

Trichotiillomania is caused by the child pulling and plucking or twisting his/her hair. Thus, the hair loss shows patchy signs. The hair loss happens mostly around the dominant hand of the child. This kind of hair loss is triggered mostly by stress and anxiety of the child. Unmonitored habit of pulling the hair can result in partial and complete baldness. However, counseling can help your child get rid of these problems. The full-grown hair comes back within six months to a year.

Nutritional Deficiency

Nutritional deficiency is also a major cause for hair loss. The lack of certain nutrients in the form of Vitamin H or B complex can cause baldness. The deficiency of zinc is yet another cause which triggers excessive hair loss amongst young children. In some cases the misbalanced diet of a pregnant mother causes baldness of the child. Too much consumption of vitamin A is also a cause.

Endocrine Problems

Many children face hair loss problems due to hypothyroidism. This is a problem where the thyroid is underactive. The insufficient amount of thyroid hormones causes los metabolism and eventual baldness in your child. The diagnosis of this problem can be made by blood test and a scan of the thyroid gland. There are number of medications and treatment procedures which can be used for treating this disease. The treatments depends on a number of factors including the age of the child and also his/her health and previous medical history.

New Born Hair Loss

It is perhaps one of the most harmless kinds of hair loss observable in children. Sometime infants lose a lot of hair after their birth. The entire process is natural. It has nothing to do with any kind of deficiency. In most of the cases the hair grows back. If the problem is persistent then you must seek your doctor’s advice.

Read More: Top 11 Oils for Baby Hair Growth

Constant Rubbing

During the time between 3 to 6 months constant friction makes many babies lose their hair. Rubbing of the baby’s head against the crib mattress or the car seat makes the tender hair fall off. This is again a very harmless kind of hair loss experienced by kids. This happens as the roots of the hair are not strong enough to hold the hair tight against the friction. The lost hair will eventually return. Once your child learns to seat on his/her own the rubbing stops. Then the loss of hair, due to friction, also stops.

Hair Abuse

Vigorous rubbing and combing of hair can cause temporary baldness in children. Pulling the hair, tightly on a regular basis, to form a pony tail is also a major cause of hair loss. However, this is not a cause of great concern. You need to handle your child’s hair with much more care and tenderness. Gentle handling of hair will help him/her grow back the hair.

There are many signs and symptoms of hair loss among children. Some of them are critical whilst some are pretty harmless. If you think that the problem is repetitive and the hair is not growing back, then you must consult to the doctor.

Read More: How Frequently Should I Shampoo My Infant’s Hair?