Dear Noah:

something must have changed in your environment or level of stress as you have resorted to twirling your hair on the top of your head again to the point of knots and pulling it out or breaking it off. We have started school and I know this makes you a bit anxious but with it being HOMESCHOOL I did not think I would get this response from you.

In preschool years you pulled and twirled your hair so much that you resembled a monk ...having no hair on the top of your head at all....only around the front and sides. We started to find and make use of other things you could do with your hands in place of twisting/pulling your hair. We gave you all sorts of stretchy pully things...and finally found elastic headbands worked the best. You could twirl them and pull them and yank on them....etc. We called them your "twirlies".

You have not required them for a long time now...but I can see where I am going to have to go to the store and pick up some more. I did unpack all your sensory stuff yesterday that includes some stretchy squishy things.....but those do not have the same effect for you as the twirlies do.

So anyway......I want to nip this in the bud if I can.....I would not want things to progress ever to trichotillomania......though I suppose there may be some connection regardless? I hope it is simply hair pulling because of stress. Not that it changes the outcome any. You also went through a period where you bit your nails down to the quick! We finally got you off that too, again by inserting something ELSE for you to chew on or "fidget" with.

I will also need to continue to make our environment as stressfree as possible.

Last night you felt bad. You said your head really hurt.....you were dizzy.....could not stand up....I needed to carry you....you cried and cried. For you to complain about anything I KNOW it had to be bad. I gave you some medicine to take for SINUS issues as I felt it was probably like what I have been having lately. You laid down in your bed with a warm washcloth on your head. For you to even lie still I KNOW you did not feel well. You went to bed eagerly....

I do hope today is a better day for you and you slept well. I love you

mommy {{{{{{{HUGS AND KISSES}}}}}}}}}}