New Development. Trichotillomania.

Every school day, I do Cait's hair.  It's long and it frustrates her to brush. However, she doesn't want to cut it just yet, because she looks good with long hair.  I get it.

Lately, I have been thinking "Wow. We need to cut this poor girl's hair for summer." Yesterday, that thought extended some. "Wow. We need to cut this poor girl's hair for summer.  Look at all the split ends.  Especially up here on the top.  Wait.... huh?"

So, after talking to her about it, she breaks down and says she has been snapping hairs during math. Surprising. I thought she was good in math. 

"Not here lately. I learn it and then the next day, I forget it all! Then the tests, I get confused! And I pull my hair..."

So many things happen in my head at this point. Concern being the main thing of course. Luckily, she has an appointment already made at the end of the week. I calmly comb her hair back in a top pony, suggest snapping at a bracelet instead, and remind her that she will be seeing the doctor soon.  She cries.  I cry.  Dad comes in and I find myself in a defense posture mode, like... "don't get on her, it is a bad moment" and he just hugs her. 

This isn't the first time she has shown signs of this.  Before meds, she would suck on her hair, rub it on her lip, and eat it.  She would also chew on her shirt.  At the time, we didn't realize "IT" had a name: Trichotillomania. Luckily, it isn't her main issue.  In some, it can be really bad... like, stomach issues, bowel blockage, etc.  Bad.

Looking into it, made me further understand one of my own weird stress relievers: Dermatillomania. Didn't even know there was a name of it! (I am learning lots of crazy stuff today! ooh. "Crazy." Bad pun.) Dermatillomania is the picking of the skin. Popping of zits, scraping of scabs, picking of dead skin.... sorry if I grossed you out. I only do it when I am beyond stressed and/or in the need of a serious med change. Seems my daughter does hers for the same reasons.  Warning signs are always handy to know.

This appointment can not come soon enough.