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Suggest Treatment For Trichotillomania In Child
Question: Sir, my brother who is 9 years old has newly got a habit of plucking his eyebrow hairs and the hair near his ears..it appears to me that it is a case of trichotillomania..please guide us....
Brief Answer:
Trichotillomania is a impulse-control disorder and is treatable.
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
Trichotillomania is a type of impulse control disorder in which individuals have persistent uncontrollable desire to pluck hairs either from scalp, or from eye brows. A lot of individuals may show anxiety disorder associated with this disorder. The disorder is related to obsessive compulsive disorders.
In a lot of cases suffering from this disorder some skin allergy or seborrhoea is found to be associated. Consultation by a dermatologist is usually advised to patients suffering from trichotillomania to rule out any dermatological manifestation. But as his hair plucking is more localised to eye brows so possibility of skin cause is less likely.
If no skin cause found visit a psychiatrist for evaluation and help. Habit reversal, relaxation therapy are modalities to reduce unwanted behaviour. In trichotillomania individuals are advised to take SSRI drugs especially Fluoxetine. The drug is also approved for use in children and is very useful to reduce unwanted behaviour and it also reduce underlying severe anxiety. Apart from this start taking Vitamin B12 supplements. These vitamins will improve the symptoms. Iron folic acid also improve the symptoms of trichotillomania.
Visit a psychiatrist for help and evaluation of any unconscious anxiety if any. If you have more doubts please ask again.
Thanks
Trichotillomania is a impulse-control disorder and is treatable.
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
Trichotillomania is a type of impulse control disorder in which individuals have persistent uncontrollable desire to pluck hairs either from scalp, or from eye brows. A lot of individuals may show anxiety disorder associated with this disorder. The disorder is related to obsessive compulsive disorders.
In a lot of cases suffering from this disorder some skin allergy or seborrhoea is found to be associated. Consultation by a dermatologist is usually advised to patients suffering from trichotillomania to rule out any dermatological manifestation. But as his hair plucking is more localised to eye brows so possibility of skin cause is less likely.
If no skin cause found visit a psychiatrist for evaluation and help. Habit reversal, relaxation therapy are modalities to reduce unwanted behaviour. In trichotillomania individuals are advised to take SSRI drugs especially Fluoxetine. The drug is also approved for use in children and is very useful to reduce unwanted behaviour and it also reduce underlying severe anxiety. Apart from this start taking Vitamin B12 supplements. These vitamins will improve the symptoms. Iron folic acid also improve the symptoms of trichotillomania.
Visit a psychiatrist for help and evaluation of any unconscious anxiety if any. If you have more doubts please ask again.
Thanks
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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