Trichotilliomania

My son is 2 years old he has always had a obsession with pulling lint or a dogs or cats hair and sticking it up his nose.
The past 4 weeks he has pulled the majority of his hair out.
The doctor said he has trichotilliomania. My question is what does this mean and where did this come from.

Damian was  2 months premature and he was a twin they were both born with jejeunal atresia and absent gallbladders. He was in the hospital 2 months fighting a seriuos feeding problem which went unattended for 5 months until I took him to CHKD and the doctor there diagnosed him with being lactose intolerant. He also has a skin disorder Juvenile Xanthogranuluma.

His brother Dillon past away at 2 months old.

Damian seems to be very normal, but he is also very different then other kids. What can I do. Please help me he has been through such much as it is.

Sorry I'm at work typing quik so please excuse mr grammer.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I am not expert enough in child psychiatry to help you, but there is a child behavior forum here on medhelp that will be able to help you.  Try that...sorry.

[Rebekah]

I first wanted to say i am very sorry your child is suffering.  I too have trich. and am bothered daily with it's hassles.  i have had this since i was six and can remember the day it started.  i am almost 22 now and.  I have no advice as to curing it.  I believe there is no cure.  I have recently found some comfort in a homeopathic doc.  She has given me some herbs that at the least help with the depression it causes.  I guess the one very important piece of advice i have for you is to unconditionaly love your child.  Never let him see that you are worried, stressed, embaressed, or dissapointed.  My mother did and never failed to let me now how much of an embarassment to the family i was.  I not only crushed me but with the ridicules from school and people passing by, it drove me to a suicide attempt as well as a heavy dose of prozac that never worked.  So please love your child and pay as little attention to it as you can.  It will do what it will do.  you can't change it and niether will he be able to.  Good luck and God Bless!!!

[sinnequan]

damian-- maybe it's the name.