Hair Pulling

Post Reply New Topic

Hi there,
New but am looking for help somewhere. My son who is 10 and AS pulls all of his eyelashes out-they are gone, gone, gone and is now working on his eyebrows. He typically does this at school when stressed. He has been given manipulatives to use when he feels the need but it hasn't helped. The district is resistive to changing classes for less stress or using an aid. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Any ideas? The teacher tries to help but then he gets teased by the other kids and causes more pulling.

Poor kid - he must be incredibly stressed!

Although my kids haven't pulled their hair out, my oldest used to hit himself quite hard when stressed.

It sounds like he is not coping in the classroom environment. Does he have an IEP? Maybe it's time to review his IEP.

Is he being bullied?

Has he told you what's stressing him out?

I'd get more assertive with the school district.

Helen

I had that a few years ago (only I pulled my hair out instead of eyebrows and eyelashes), and it's called trichotillomania. It is quite a hard habit to break, but in the end I just forced myself to stop. Perhaps you could motivate your son to do the same, for example by giving him a reward for not doing it for a whole schoolday (or a shorter amount of time to begin with if that's easier). There might also be advice online if you search around.

Done this since I was 11. I am 32 now. My mother has forgotten what it is to have a daughter with eyebrows.
What makes it worse in me is boredom and tiredness.
Only thing I can think of is to get him something to squeeze or pull at or fidget with when he gets stressed and to tell him they wont grow back if he keeps pulling them out.
I find I don't do it so much when I have something to do with my hands or my concentration is fully engaged.

My son did this a couple of years ago -- he started with eyebrows (thank heavens he didn't do the eyelashes) and had very uneven eyebrows as a result. I definitely think it's a stress thing.

We also have had recent problems with his pulling his hair. His hairstyle is longer, like most teenage boys, and he pulls on it while testing, and it puts him into a sort of trance. I'm guessing this is stress-related as well.

I think the stress-ball idea is a good one. Something to squeeze or manipulate, with the added benefit that it is small and not easily visible as a "strange" thing by the other students.

I also think that, given time and adjustment to new routines, some of these things work themselves out on their own. Eventually.

Kris