hair obsession.. normal or should i worry?

Ina - posted on 01/01/2013

ever heard about trichotillomania??

Amanda - posted on 09/18/2010

I think it's normal, my daughter gets so many compliments on her curly hair that she just sits there and pulls the curls so they bounce back and twirls it. She also plays with my hair during the day and at bedtime if I lay next to her. No need to worry.

Jo-anne - posted on 09/17/2010

Kids do get little obsessions with things, but I think your biggest worry here is that the hair/string will get tangled in her throat if she swallows it, especially since she's putting it on her soother. If she sucks on her soother with hair on it there's a risk she'll suck the hair off. When I was little I used to suck my hair and once it got tangled around my throat. It was really scary and I can tell you I never sucked my hair again after that incident. I wouldn't worry so much about the obsession itself, but I would worry about the focus of the obsession just because there is a risk involved. If she grabs a hair to put over her soother, just pick it off again and say 'Yucky' or something to give her the idea that hair isn't really the best thing to play with. Maybe try putting her focus onto something else. Swap the hair for some string cheese, perhaps.

Laura - posted on 09/15/2010

my son has an obsession with a stuffed toy frog. they all find things that interest and comfort them. it's totally normal.

Renee - posted on 09/12/2010

My son has a huge obsession with hair. So much that I had to shave his head so he would stop pulling his hair out to suck on it. When he was just a couple of months old, I started to notice that he always had to play with my hair (which is pretty long) while he nursed. It started to get really bad when he was around 9 months old, he started to pull my hair out to suck on it! Then he would pull his own hair out in the crib when mine was not available. He started to get bald spots! I decided that I had to shave his head until he grows out of it. He still reaches for my hair, so I just wear it up and push his hand away when he reaches up for it. I just think it’s one of the quirky things that a child will do and soon will grow out of….I hope!

Ashley - posted on 09/11/2010

ok thats makes me feel better! LOL :)

Katherine - posted on 09/10/2010

I'm sorry. What I meant was she's fixated on hair. She's a little obssessed with it and for some reason it's soothing to her. Sorry Ashley, didn't mean it to come out that way.
My daughter get's fixated on my keys when she's tired.

Carisa - posted on 09/10/2010

My daughter loves hair too...yesterday she fell asleep while playing with my hair (she's sick, so I had to lay with her for an hour and she had a death grip on my hair) My oldest has really curly hair, and she used to get her fingers stuck in it because she was twirling it around her finger. I think it is totally normal.

Ashley - posted on 09/10/2010

shes just OCD?well that doesnt make me feel any better .LOL

Katherine - posted on 09/10/2010

She's just OCD. I wouldn't worry, she's just fixated on hair for some reason.