It can be difficult enough dealing with alopecia or another hair loss condition yourself; but supporting someone else with it can be even harder.
If your child (or pupil, if you are a teacher) has alopecia, you may need some guidance on how best to support them. It can be hard to know what to say or do, as well as trying to understand what the child is going through.
The alopecia support website for kids, www.headzup.org.uk , recommends bearing the following steps in mind:
• Get involved – You need to put aside your own feelings and encourage your child to feel comfortable talking about alopecia. Be honest, informative and supportive, so as to boost the child’s self-esteem but not give them unrealistic expectations.
• Give your child a say – When it comes to treatment and hair loss management, let your child decide what to try and what route to take next.
• Get as much information as possible – This knowledge will allow you to confidently advise and reassure your child.
• Tackle bullying – You first need to recognise if your child is being bullied, then encourage them to open up to you. Next, contact the school to get to the root of the problem.