Why Won't My Toddler's Hair Grow?

My daughter was born with a full head of thick, black hair. While it never fell out, it also never seemed to grow. Now, at two years old, her hair is still only about an inch long-- much shorter than her peers, who have enough hair to wear pony-tails and hairbows.

Is your toddler's hair not growing? There's probably no need for alarm, but you may want to run the issue past your pediatrician. My daughter's doctor reassured me that simple genetics were the cause of my toddler's slow hair growth. However, rarely, other conditions may be responsible for a toddler's hair not growing.

Genetics

Some babies, particularly those of European descent, have little or no hair until the second or third year of life. Many children are genetically predisposed to very slow hair growth or very thin hair, but it is rarely cause for concern. Ask your relatives if other toddlers in your family have experienced poor hair growth-- you may find the answer in your family tree.

Overbrushing

Traction alopecia-- the clinical name for overbrushed hair-- is a very common cause of hair loss in toddlers, particularly girls. If you style your toddler's hair frequently or use caustic chemicals, it may prevent her hair from growing properly. A leave-it-alone policy is best for styling toddlers' hair.

Fungal Infection

Some toddlers have normal hair growth for months or years, only to suddenly begin losing their hair. In these cases, a fungal infection may be to blame. Ringworm, a common toddler fungal infection, may cause hair to stop growing on the back of a toddler's scalp. Persistent cases of cradle cap-- a harmless, common fungal infection-- may also hinder hair growth in toddlers.

Alopecia Areata

Very rarely, toddlers may fail to grow hair because they have alopecia areata, an untreatable autoimmune disease. If your toddler has never grown any hair or has suddenly lost all her hair, it may be a sign of this condition. Forunately, most toddlers with alopecia areata regrow their hair after a few months or years.

Nutritional Deficiencies

In developed countries, severe nutritional deficiencies are rare in toddlers. However, improper diet or serious malabsorption problems may cause a child to become dangerously deficient in zinc, iron, protein, B-vitamins or other important nutrients. All of these deficiencies may cause a toddler's hair to not grow. Simple blood tests can determine if a nutritional deficiency is to blame.