Life is way more difficult for children who are different from others in society. Kids with alopecia lose their hair at a very young age, which mentally and physically affects them. Even though it is not a very serious health condition, it can affect the overall well-being of a child. It is important to understand that treating children differently based on their physical appearance or background impacts societal ethics and norms.
What we learn in childhood shapes our adulthood. It is the right of every child to grow as a successful adult and get equal treatment regardless of their appearance. An issue is only highlighted when people start reacting to it. Kids with issues like alopecia face diverse challenges that will be disclosed in this article.
Major Challenges Faced By Kids With Alopecia
Alopecia also affects eyebrows, eyelashes, arms, legs, and also creates patchy baldness. A child with this disease might feel exhausted and suffer due to their physical appearance. This affects their daily life and activities such as playing, going to school, etc. Some of the major challenges faced by kids with alopecia are given below:
1. Emotional and Psychological Breakdown
It is very common for a child to feel low as they remain unrecognized due to visual appearance. It also affects their self-image when they start comparing themselves to other kids around them. Children with this issue are generally engulfed by sadness, anxiety, depression, etc. This gradually affects their overall mental and physical health.
2. Social Challenges
Most of the time, children with different physical appearances are not accepted by groups of kids. This decreases confidence to interact and communicate with others freely. Children with alopecia also face bullying, which affects emotional well-being, especially if they are sensitive. Hair Loss in them also prevents them from making friends which affects thier physical health. Lack of friends means a lack of interactions and physical activity.
3. Behavioural Issues
Children with alopecia face different types of fear, like what others think of them, bullying, etc. This creates issues for children to behave properly. They can appear aggressive, dramatic, or silent. They always face inner fights, which burst out whenever someone tries to talk to them about the issue. Their behaviour also affects their academic scores and decreases their concentration level from studying. If any kid with alopecia wears wigs or hats, they probably feel self-conscious
4. Isolation
Issues related to hair loss affect their visual appearance, which decreases their confidence level to move freely and talk to others. Children with alopecia isolate themselves to avoid any comment on their looks and differences. Isolation prevents them from exploring and expanding their creative nature. Isolation keeps them from sharing their thoughts and opinions, making them more depressed.
Tips to Support Kids With Alopecia
With challenges also comes the solution. There are key tips that can help you support kids with alopecia.
- Communicate with them as with other kids.Â
- Make them feel safe in a group of children.
- Try to foster a positive environment in schools as well as at home to help them cope with psychological challenges.
- Interact with them to promote self-acceptance.Â
- Remain open to their feelings and make them feel accepted for who they are.
- Sometimes therapy and counselling can also be one of the most beneficial ways to support them.Â
It is important to support kids with different physical issues. It is a major responsibility of everyone to support children and make them feel safe. There are also diverse ways to deal with alopecia in children. Scalp micropigmentation can be done, as they cannot get indulged with a hair transplant. This will provide a clean hairline and improve their visual appearance and confidence.
