Children Trapped Their Own Hair, Including Trikotilomania That Functions For Self-Regulation

Illustration of tritotyomania children snatching their own hair (Freepik/stockking)

YOGYAKARTA The behavior of children who often play or grab their own hair is called tritotillomania. This behavior focuses on the body which often starts in childhood and is done to teenagers to adults. This behavior is confusing and troublesome for parents. Especially if children are done in groups of less than five years of age. At that age, children may not yet have qualified verbal skills to express their feelings or reasons for shooting and playing hair.

You as a parent may pay attention to this behavior, where your child plays hair, twists, hash, grabbed or unplugged hair. This behavior makes parents worried, because it may cause damage or injury. Although this behavior may emerge as sensory exploration during early developments, this behavior can also increase to a serious condition if you get injured or leave scars.

Triggers for triotillomania behavior in children less than 5 years old, older children, adolescents, and adults vary, explains clinical psychologist Marla Deiber, Psy.D., ABPP. reported by Psychology Today, Wednesday, November 20, and often the complexes associated with the following:

Similar to smoking a thumb, grabbing hair, prying skin, biting nails, this body-focusedpetive behavior becomes a calming behavior. Feelings when doing this behavior can stimulate or calm. The sensation associated with this behavior may also feel fun. For some children, it serves as a way to manage feelings of stress, boredom, and fatigue.

In rare cases, small children may do this behavior as a way to get the attention of caregivers. Especially if this behavior previously produced the response they wanted. Little research done at early teens, argues that stress, environmental changes, and even a milestone can trigger or worsen this behavior. Research also shows genetics may play a role. Children with a family history of anxiety disorders or BFRB, may be vulnerable to developing this behavior.

As with mental disorders, tritotyomania or body-focused repeative behaviors (BFRBs) can be diagnosed clinically if they cause real pressure or disturbance for individuals. However, BFRBs in children under the age of 5 may be temporary. Unlike what is often a chronic journey for an older person. BFRBs can also recover by themselves without intervention. So there is no specific way to stop this behavior. It's just that it's important to consult a child psychologist if your child commits tritotyomanian behavior excessively to disrupting daily activities and injuring himself.