Parenting a child with alopecia areata can be difficult. Parents of children with alopecia areata need to keep two things in mind;

• Children can be much more resilient then we imagine. They are generally optimistic, and don’t have the expectation for rejection or ridicule that adults may have because they haven’t experienced or observed it as much as adults have, and
• Children take their cues from the adults in their world, and particularly from you, as a parent. If a child sees that his hair loss is a source of anxiety or sadness for you, he will internalize those feelings.

This does not mean that you should ignore or repress your own feelings of loss, sorrow and anger when you are trying to cope. In addition, parents should know that feeling of guilt about somehow being responsible for your child’s hair loss are natural and to be expected. But you need to know that children with alopecia areata do not blame their parents.

The best thing for parents of children with alopecia areata to do immediately is talk with other parents of children with alopecia areata. Shared experiences will be comforting and informational.

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