Hi Andrea. Ethan is such a cute little guy! Those eyes! My little guy, Max (he'll be 5 in June), was diagnosed with AA the second week of March. It started with just a couple patches....about a half-dollar in size. They've grown considerably, and he's gotten more which have joined in some places (I have some pictures of him up on my page). If you don't mind my asking, when was Ethan diagnosed and how quickly did it progress? And HOW did his hair come out? Max's doesn't come out in "clumps," but strand after strand after strand, it seems. I'm glad to find other moms here who are going through the same thing...it makes me feel less alone in all of this.

Hi Andrea, I wanted to welcome you to Alopecia World. I can honestly say that we are a great community here and I hope you enjoy the time you spend with us.

Cheryl
co-founder

Hi Andrea, I had written you an entire message and it got deleted. Here goes a shorter version. I want to let you know that I could feel your sadness and I know what you are going through. There are alot of people on this board that can offer you support. There is a grieving process and it is only natural for you to have the emotional disarray. I realize that you have concerns about teasing and peer related issues. However, I want to tell you that my daughter lost her hair at the same age. She just started K and lost all of her hair by her 6th birthdy and wore a wig. The kids in the class were unphased by the changes in her appearance. They rather were more concerned about playing and demonstrated support to Sam with their kind words. She was never made to feel any less then her peers. I suggest you do a talk in the class and send home a letter to the parents if you feel that will help Ethan. Many parents of done it and do it yearly. CAP and NAAF can offer you help. NAAF has a school packet wtih a video. I do suggest contacting CAP and letting them know some of your concerns. I think you find them helpful and may be able to help you find a family in your area. They can also help Ethan get a pen pal.

To be honest, I am not sure spraying the bald spots is helpful to Ethan. It can clog his pores and I am concerned about what kind of message it is sending him and what it is doing to his own personal self image. Have you considered talking to the school to see if the students in his class can wear a hat if they chose in support of Ethan. Or how about a CAP day in his class where all the kids can wear a special hat. It may help build support from his classmates. You can couple this with a talk about Alopecia. It is great that you are seeking clinical support for Ethan right now so he can better learn to cope with his hair loss. I commented on your post about DCP, but feel free to ask me any questions. Just remember that you need to be strong for Ethan. Cindy

Hi Andrea, no worries. I only wish I had more information for you that can help you decide if you should go for it. Did you ask the doctor if it will affect his current eczema? Good luck with what you decide and you'll find a lot of support here. Welcome to AW by the way!