Comment by Margie on March 7, 2009 at 2:36am

Hi Sarah, I'm so sorry to hear about your son. My 9 year old son has aa which began last summer. It progressed very quickly and he has lost almost all his hair. We believe that everything in life happens for a reason and sometimes we just don't know what that reason is. Having said that, I must admit that watching my son go through this has been the most difficult thing in my life!!! I cried so much and sometimes still do. But I will tell you that kids are amazing with how strong they can be. Casey and I decided together how we wanted to approach this publically. We decided to face it head on and we had an assembly at his school. When kids get all the facts and can't make stuff up they have a greater understanding and respect. I know we have the hardest years to come when he gets into middle and high school, but we are constantly working on his self-esteem (we are lucky that he has such a great sports ability and that really helps him). For us, making it public knowledge and not letting him think this is something to be ashamed of is the most important thing. Alopecia is ok, hurtful sometimes, but ok. It's ok because Casey is Casey and not his hair. It does kill me that he is going through this....I wish it were me, but we just don't understand yet what God has planned for him and why. I tell him, who knows, maybe he will make it to professional sports and be able talk to kids who have this and let them know that they are still very cool :)

Comment by Alison on March 7, 2009 at 7:54am

hey sarah,
sorry about ur son, hope your all strong. before starting to try for a baby we went to visit a immunologist and a genetisis (sp) i think that we got fully informed to make the decision to have kids, i'm nervous about having children hoping they wont get alopecia but know if they do we'll be in the best position to support them, i'm sure you and ur partner are exactly in the best position to help your children learn and grow through life with anything that may happen.

Comment by Joshua on March 7, 2009 at 9:52pm

Hi Sarah,

Thank you for sharing the touching story. Alopecia areata has not been scientifically proven in general to be hereditary however some argue that the chances are there. There are numerous patients with alopecia areata that has no family history (at least for one or two generations) of having Alopecia areata. Stastically, we cannot rule out or even rule in the possibility of Alopecia areata being hereditary. There are too many factors that results in Alopecia areata (AA), even if AA is hereditary, the component further subdivides into autosomal, recessive or dominant gene and also the strength of the hereditary (measured as heritability >0 but <1 with 1 being 100% inherited). Based on my opinion and observation of the people I know with AA, if AA is hereditary, I'm suspecting the heritability strength to be less than 0.1). In no way you should feel responsible or guilty eventhough the feeling is entirely normal when one loves another so much. I am not sad over your guilt as it only tells me how much you love your family.

As for Mason, you need a dermatologist to properly diagnose his lost of hair. I would first try to rule out other common diseases that cause hair loss in kids before ruling in alopecia areata (aa is somewhat a rare condition itself). As being kids, they play outside alot, any contact with soil or even dogs and cats that are contaminated with skin fungal disease, there is a very high possibility that the ring bald spots might very well be just ringworm/ skin-fungal (Microsporum canis in particularly does cause expanding ring bald lesions on the scalp of human) and this can easily be resovlved by anti-mycoses topical.

In short, I hope that Mason's condition can be properly diagnosed before jumping into any conclusion and if Mason does really have aa, I am sure that he will be well as long as he has and know that he is in a loving family.

Take care and God bless.
jt

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