Is it Trichotillomania? Hair Pulling in Childhood: A Developmental Perspective

Abstract

A cohort of children with hair pulling as the presenting symptom was followed up to enhance clinical understanding of the nature of hair-pulling behaviour in childhood. Thirty-eight children were clinically assessed for a diagnosis of trichotillomania, co-morbidity, co-existing habits and other relevant factors. Intervention consisted of a combination of behavioural strategies, self-esteem work, supportive family approaches, attachment-focused parenting models and medication. In this group of children it was difficult to define their symptoms as a clinical diagnosis of trichotillomania, using ICD-10/DSM-IV. This article concludes that hair pulling, as a symptom in children, is a heterogeneous condition. It is useful to approach this issue from a developmental perspective. Our data warrant reappraisal of the diagnosis of trichotillomania in childhood. We explore the framework of a developmental continuum to understand and manage the problem of hair pulling in childhood.