Both kids and adults can find hair loss very distressing. Other children can be very unthinking and unkind regarding a child's new baldness. When a child does experience hair loss they often become the target of mockery from their friends and peers, which can hurt the child's feelings and make them feel separated from the others. It's important for the parents of children who are newly experiencing hair loss to find ways to help their kids deal with realities they're facing. In many cases, the parents must first confront their own feelings about hair loss. If the parents cannot cope with hair loss constructively it will be much more difficult for their child to do so.

Encouraging your child to talk about their feelings is the healthiest way to cope with hair loss issues. Discussing it will help them come to terms with it, as well as understand the hows and whys of it. Discussing their fears and concerns about hair loss, as well as coping techniques is especially important for the child to cope and understand hair loss.

Children coping with hair loss need sensitivity from their parents and peers. They need time to adjust to the situation before deciding to rejoin their peer group. It is important to allow the child to decide what to do. When they are ready, some options for dealing with hair loss include just waiting for the hair to grow back, a wig or toupee to be worn outside the home, or even hats to hide the missing hair. Hats and scarves may even allow the child to express themselves, and to allow them to be seen as "the kid with the hat" instead of "the kid with no hair."

When a child suffers hair loss, it is especially stressful to think about returning to school and facing the stares, whispers, teasing, and other inappropriate behavior of the other children. Meeting with the teachers ahead of time allows you to explain the situation to them so that they can in turn explain the situation to the child's classmates. When the classmates are apprised of the situation and get familiar with the changes in the child's appearance, they will be much less likely to tease, and more likely to be understanding and supportive.