Pediatric Trichotillomania: Clinical Presentation, Treatment, and Implications for Nursing Professionals 1

Trichotillomania (TTM), or compulsive hair pulling, is a disorder that typically onsets in childhood. It is mistaken to believe that children will “age out” of this behavior, as pediatric TTM often has a chronic, debilitating course that does not remit without treatment, resulting in considerable psychological and physical impairment. Because most children with TTM will be seen initially by nursing professionals in the practices of dermatologists, pediatricians, gastroenterologists, and other disciplines, raising nurses' awareness of this disorder is of the utmost importance for accurate nursing diagnosis and assessment. As the health care providers who spend the greatest amount of time with patients, nurses' detection and diagnosis of TTM can make a critical difference in the initiation of early intervention. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide an overview of pediatric TTM, including its epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment options, from the perspective of nurses who may interact with such patients in their workplace.