Toddlers & Hair-Pulling
Toddlers pull hair--their own or others'--for several reasons, including communication, attention-seeking or frustration. More serious reasons for hair-pulling require expert evaluation.
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Control
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Toddlers may pull hair to exert control over their environment, for example, to get a reaction from adults, change the outcome of a situation or stop bad things that are happening. As the toddler learns to control her environment in other ways, the hair-pulling lessens on its own.
Self-Soothe
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Toddlers may pull hair to soothe themselves, much the same way that thumb-sucking or caressing a favorite blanket helps them feel safe. This behavior often resolves itself as the toddler grows.
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Frustration
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Toddlers want to communicate but often don't have the words to do so. As a result, they often throw a temper tantrum that may include pulling their own hair out of frustration. Helping the toddler communicate or removing him from the situation may help.
Habit
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When a toddler is bored, tired or relaxed, she may twirl or pull her hair out of habit. Ignoring this behavior or praising her when she doesn't do it is the best way to help her stop the behavior.
When to Seek Help
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If the toddler pulls out his hair and eats it, he may experience a bezoar (a wad of indigestible hair) in the stomach, requiring surgical removal. Severe hair-pulling (leaving bald spots) is called trichotillomania, an impulse disorder that requires intervention.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit female toddler looking at camera. image by pixelcarpenter from Fotolia.com
