Trichotillomania at School: How to Get Your Child Support
Trichotillomania at school: whether to tell the school, what support teachers can give, how to talk to them, and what to do if your child is teased or bullied.
By The Trichotillomania Team · Last reviewed September 26, 2026
Trichotillomania (trich) is a condition where a child repeatedly pulls out their own hair, often from the scalp, eyebrows or eyelashes. It usually starts between the ages of 10 and 13, which means it tends to arrive right in the middle of the school years. A child who is already coping with urges to pull may also be dealing with bald patches to hide, questions from classmates, and long hours sitting still in class, which is when a lot of pulling happens.
This guide is for parents working out how to handle trichotillomania at school, and for teachers who want to help. It covers whether to tell the school, how to talk to teachers, the practical support schools can give, what the formal routes are where you live, and what to do about teasing or bullying.
Should I tell the school about my child’s trichotillomania?
In most cases, yes: telling at least one trusted adult at school usually helps. Teachers who understand trich can make quiet changes, watch for teasing, and respond calmly if they see your child pulling. Teachers who don’t know may misread pulling as not paying attention, or comment on it in front of the class.
Your child should have a real say in this. Trich often comes with a lot of shame and hiding, and being talked about without their agreement can make that worse. Before you contact the school, talk it through together:
- Who should know? One teacher, their main class teacher, the school nurse or counsellor, or all their teachers?
- What should they know? Just that your child has a condition that makes them pull their hair, or more detail about when it happens and what helps?
- What would help most? Your child often knows best: a fidget, a seat by the window, being left alone, or a quiet word if someone is unkind.
- What must not happen? For example, being asked about it in front of others, or the class being told.
Older children and teenagers may want to tell a teacher themselves, with you there or with a note you’ve written together. Younger children usually prefer a parent to do the talking. Our guide to trichotillomania in teenagers has more on supporting older children without taking over.
What if my child doesn’t want the school to know?
Take their worry seriously and find out what’s behind it. Often it’s fear that other pupils will find out, or that a teacher will make a fuss. You might agree to tell one person only, such as the school nurse or counsellor, with a clear promise that nobody else will be told without asking first. If pulling is affecting learning, friendships or your child’s mood, you may need to share more, but you can still let your child shape what is said. Our guide to talking to your child about hair pulling has words that help with these conversations.
How do I talk to teachers about trich?
Keep it short, calm and practical. Most teachers have never been told about trich, so a two-minute explanation and a one-page note go a long way. Ask for a private meeting or a phone call rather than a chat at the school gate.
A good note fits on one page and covers:
- What it is: trichotillomania is a recognised condition. It’s a body-focused repetitive behaviour (BFRB), part of a group of conditions where people repeatedly pull, pick or bite at their hair, skin or nails. It isn’t a choice or a habit your child can simply stop.
- What it looks like for your child: where they pull from, and when it tends to happen (often during reading, tests, screen time or when bored or stressed).
- What helps: the two or three things that work best for your child, such as having a fidget, being allowed to wear a hat, or a private signal.
- What doesn’t help: being told to stop in front of others, being watched, or being given a sanction for pulling.
- Who knows: who else at school has been told, and whether classmates know (usually not).
- Who to contact: you, and your child’s doctor or therapist if they’re happy to be contacted.
The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania includes a One-Page Teacher Explainer you can adapt, print and hand over, plus scripts for talking to the school. You can find it at The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania: understanding what your child is going through.
If a teacher seems unsure or dismissive, don’t be put off. Offer them a trusted page to read, such as the section on children and teenagers in our complete guide to trichotillomania, and ask to follow up in a couple of weeks. If you still don’t feel heard, talk to a senior member of staff or the person in charge of support for pupils with extra needs.
What support can the school give?
Most children with trich need only a few small, quiet changes in class, and a teacher can usually make these straight away without any paperwork. If pulling is affecting your child’s learning, attendance or wellbeing, you can also ask for a formal support plan. The Ontario government’s children’s mental health service, CPRI, suggests school supports such as allowing hats, using fidgets, and adjusting the classroom setting.
| Situation at school | What might help |
|---|---|
| Pulling while reading, writing or listening | A fidget, putty or textured strip kept in a pencil case or under the desk |
| Patches your child wants to hide | Permission to wear a hat, cap, bandana or headscarf, handled quietly if staff check uniform or dress code |
| Urges building in class | A private signal to step out for a drink of water or a short walk |
| Pulling while looking in a mirror or reflective window | A seat away from mirrors and reflective glass; mirrors covered in quiet spaces |
| Tests and exams | Something to hold, and a seat where they don’t feel watched |
| PE, swimming and changing rooms | A private place to change; a swimming cap; a quiet word with the PE teacher |
| School photos and trips | Letting your child choose how they wear their hair or hat; a note for trip staff |
| A teacher sees pulling | No comment in front of others; a quiet reminder or a fidget passed over |
For ideas on which fidgets suit which kind of urge, see our guide to fidget toys and tools for trichotillomania.
If you need something more formal, the route depends on where you live.
In Ireland, schools use a framework called the Continuum of Support, which recognises that pupils’ needs range from mild to more significant and from short-term to long-term. Support starts in the classroom and can include help from a special education teacher. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) says access to special education teaching isn’t based on a diagnosis, so you don’t need a formal diagnosis for the school to start helping.
Start with your child’s class teacher or year head. If your child needs more, the school can involve the special education team, and your local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO), who works for the NCSE, can advise on extra supports.
What about bullying and teasing?
Take it seriously and tell the school straight away. Visible hair loss can draw comments and questions, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) notes that older children and teenagers with trich may be teased. A 2012 review of research on trich in young people also described studies suggesting that peers can judge a pupil with visible trich more harshly. Teasing matters for more than hurt feelings: stress and embarrassment can make pulling worse, and some children start avoiding school.
Signs your child may be having a hard time include not wanting to go to school, avoiding PE or swimming, spending much longer getting ready, or seeming low or withdrawn after school.
What to do:
- Listen first. Let your child tell you what happened without jumping in. Tell them it isn’t their fault.
- Write it down. Note what was said or done, when, and who was there.
- Talk to the school. Ask to meet your child’s main teacher or a senior member of staff, and ask what they will do and when they’ll get back to you.
- Agree what your child can do in the moment. Some children like a short, calm answer ready, such as “It’s a condition, I’d rather not talk about it”. Others prefer to walk away and tell a trusted adult.
- Follow up. If the teasing continues, go back to the school in writing and ask to see its policy on bullying.
Since September 2025, every school in Ireland has had to follow the Department of Education’s Bà Cineálta (“Be Kind”) procedures and have a Bà Cineálta policy on preventing and addressing bullying. Ask the school for a copy.
When should I get more help?
Get outside help if trich is affecting your child’s learning, friendships, attendance or mood, or if school changes on their own aren’t enough. A practitioner who understands hair pulling can work with your child on the urges themselves, and can often write a short letter for school explaining what helps.
Many doctors and therapists have never worked with a child who pulls. Everyone in our directory has told us they understand trichotillomania and already help people who pull, in person or online. You can search the directory for someone near you. Our guide to finding someone who understands trich explains what to ask on a first call. For a wider picture of what helps at home, see our guide for parents of children with trichotillomania.
If your child is in distress right now, or you’re worried about their safety, contact a helpline or emergency services.
In an emergency, call 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department.
- Samaritans — 116 123 (www.samaritans.org/samaritans-ireland)
- Pieta — 1800 247 247 (text HELP to 51444) (www.pieta.ie)
- Text About It — text HELLO to 50808
Questions people ask
Do we need a diagnosis before the school can help?
Usually not for small, everyday changes. A teacher can allow a fidget or a hat without any paperwork. Formal plans vary: some countries don’t require a diagnosis at all, while others ask for evidence of how the condition affects your child. A letter from your doctor or your child’s therapist can make things quicker.
Can my child wear a hat or headscarf in class?
Many schools will allow it once they understand why. A hat can hide patches and also works as a barrier that makes pulling harder. Ask the teacher, explain it in a sentence, and agree how it will be handled in any uniform or dress-code checks so your child isn’t asked about it in front of others.
Should the teacher tell the rest of the class?
Only if your child wants that. Some older children like the idea of a short, matter-of-fact talk about body-focused repetitive behaviours, but many would rather classmates never know. Agree with your child and the teacher exactly who will be told and what they’ll say, and check again before each new school year.
What should a teacher do if they see my child pulling?
Nothing that draws attention. A teacher shouldn’t say “stop it” in front of others or keep watch over your child’s hands. A private signal agreed in advance, or quietly passing a fidget, works much better. Pulling isn’t a behaviour problem, so it shouldn’t be dealt with through sanctions.
Do I need to tell the school again each year?
Yes, it helps. Teachers change, and notes don’t always follow a child from year to year or from one school to the next. A short updated note before each new year, or before a school trip, keeps everyone on the same page. Ask your child first whether anything should change.
Is trichotillomania classed as a disability at school?
It can be, depending on the country and on how much it affects your child. Laws usually look at whether a condition is long-term and has a real effect on everyday life or learning. Whether it counts is decided for each child, and support doesn’t always depend on that label.
Sources
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2023). Hair Pulling (Trichotillomania). Facts for Families.
- Harrison, J.P. & Franklin, M.E. (2012). Pediatric trichotillomania. Current Psychiatry Reports, 14(3), 188–196.
- Child and Parent Resource Institute (CPRI), Government of Ontario. Putting the brakes on body focused repetitive behaviours.
- U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. The civil rights of students with hidden disabilities and Section 504.
- U.S. Department of Education. About IDEA.
- StopBullying.gov. Federal laws.
- GOV.UK. Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- Department for Education (2014, updated 2018). The Equality Act 2010 and schools: advice for school leaders, school staff, governing bodies and local authorities.
- GOV.UK. Bullying at school.
- Scottish Government. Additional support for learning.
- Welsh Government. Additional learning needs: guidance for parents and carers.
- nidirect. Supporting children with special educational needs.
- National Council for Special Education (Ireland). FAQs for parents.
- Department of Education (Ireland) (2024). Bà Cineálta procedures to prevent and address bullying behaviour for primary and post-primary schools.
- Government of Canada. Learn about education in Canada.
- Ontario Ministry of Education. Special education in Ontario, Kindergarten to Grade 12: Components of the IEP.
- Australian Government Department of Education. Explaining the Disability Standards for Education.
- New Zealand Ministry of Education. Supporting your child if they need extra help with their learning.
Is your child pulling their hair?
The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania walks you through what to say and what to do, step by step.
Keep reading
When to Take Your Child to a Doctor About Hair Pulling
Child hair pulling: when to see a doctor, who to see first, what they’ll check, and what to do if you’re told it’s alopecia. A practical guide for parents.
My Child Is Pulling Out Their Eyelashes: What to Do
Child pulling out eyelashes? Why it happens, whether it’s trichotillomania, if it harms their eyes, whether lashes grow back, and what helps.
Child Started Pulling Hair Again? Parenting a Relapse
Has your child started pulling their hair again? Why setbacks are common in trich, what to do and say first, and when to go back to therapy for top-ups.