Regarding Swallowing Hair
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"Abby,
My granddaughter is 4 years old and I believe she started to pull out her hair and eat it from the time she was about 2 years old. She is very bright and loving and such a sweet child that everybody loves.
Three weeks ago she had an operation to remove a hair ball the size of an egg from her stomach. Her parents and myself would greatly appreciate any help you can give to heal her of this dreadful addiction.
I anxiously look forward to your response."
Joan |
There is one situation where it may be worthwhile and necessary to try medication for a child. That is if your child eats her hair. If so, you should immediately take her to her doctor. Hair is not digestible and she might eventually develop a “trichobezoar,” a hairball, which could ultimately require surgery.
From Diagnose-Me.com
"Some researchers have found that nearly 20% of hair pullers eat their hair or chew off and swallow the root ends. Called trichophagy, it can lead to hair being lodged between the teeth and more seriously to large accumulations of retained hairs in the stomach and digestive tract called trichobezoars (hairballs).
Symptoms of trichobezoars include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes blood and/or visible hairs in the stool. Trichobezoars can also cause foul breath, poor appetite, constipation, diarrhea, excessive gas, bowel obstruction, and even bowel perforation. Liver and pancreas functions can be adversely altered. Sometimes a physician can feel a trichobezoar by gently pushing in the mid or left upper area of a patient's abdomen. Trichobezoars can be diagnosed by using special upper gastrointestinal X-rays, looking into the stomach with an endoscope, or using ultrasound. Surgical removal is the most common treatment."
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