Toddlers love their weird habits. Whether it's wearing a favorite unicorn backpack 24/7 or insisting that you read her the same book six times in a row, most of these behaviors are harmless and make for a laugh in a few years (when the rhymes are no longer seared into your memory).
But some habits, like hair twirling, might give you pause. While hair twirling is often a harmless habit that goes away on its own, if it interrupts your child's regular activities or she develops a bald spot due to it, it's time to take action.
What is hair twirling?
Before bedtime or during times of stress, some toddlers develop a ritual of twirling their hair. Hair twirling falls into the category of self-soothing activities, like head banging, hair pulling, thumb sucking and rocking. Yes, some of these habits seem strange and may even look painful, but they're actually a way for some kids to release pent-up energy and tension.
Hair twirling is usually less physically harmful for your child than head banging or hair pulling — and hair twirling is not necessarily indicative of trichotillomania, when children compulsively pull out their hair.[1] However, it can cause temporary damage to your child's hair over time.
Why do toddlers twirl their hair?
Not surprisingly, hair twirling often occurs most frequently at night when it's time for children to begin winding down. It's their way of taking things down a notch. This self-soothing behavior can also serve your toddler's coping mechanism for dealing with stressors in her life.
Big changes like a new sibling, weaning, moving to a new home or changes in child care all may trigger hair twirling and other self-soothing behaviors. And some toddlers twirl their hair simply because they're bored.
Recommended Reading
Infrequently, hair twirling can be a symptom of conditions like autism, anxiety, OCD and ADHD. However, hair twirling alone — without any other symptoms — does not equal a diagnosis.
What to do about hair loss or damage from hair twirling
Most of the time, hair twirling is completely harmless. However, it can become a concern if you notice that your child's hair has bad knots, uneven or damaged ends, or if her scalp has bald spots.
The good news: This damage isn't permanent, as long as your kid can kick the habit. It will just take some time to re-grow. In the meantime, you can help her tone down the twirling with the tactics listed below.
Tips for dealing with a hair twirling habit
If your toddler's hair twirling habit has led to hair damage or loss, you might wonder how you can help give her tresses a break. Here's what to try:
Proceed with caution
Don't force your twirler to stop twirling — meaning you should skip punishments and scolding.[2] The more you admonish, the more likely the habit will increase.
Since hair twirling is often a soothing technique, negative reactions or putting too much pressure on kids to stop twirling can make the behavior worse.
Assess for stress
Fight stress with love. The arrival of a new sibling, a change in caregivers, being weaned off the bottle or any other adjustment can be unsettling for toddlers.[3]
To help reduce tension, provide plenty of hugs and kisses, some undivided attention and relaxing activities (like a quiet story or a mellow massage).
Redirect
Give your child a different outlet for her pent-up energy. Gift your tot a shaggy stuffed animal to wrestle with so she can relieve her pent-up stress.
Pounding with a toy hammer or banging on a toy drum, running around outdoors, swinging on a swing and dancing to lively music may also help her get her ya-ya's out. Fidget devices such as playdough, small toys or even a doll with fake hair can help your child keep her hands busy.
Start a soothing routine
Especially if you suspect that your child is grappling with big changes in her daily life, counteract the chaos with a soothing ritual. Little kids find comfort in the predictability of a regular bedtime routine.
A quiet bath followed by listening to soft music or sitting on your lap as you read a story will help her wind down gently and alleviate the need to de-stress by twirling her hair.
Try a new hairstyle
A shorter haircut (think pixie!) may be a lot less tempting to twirl. If your tot has already damaged her hair, this is also a good way to even everything out.
You may also want to try styling your kiddo's hair up and out of the way with some fun clips, headbands, hats or other accessories.
When to call a doctor
There are a couple of important signs that it's time to talk to the pediatrician: if the behavior persists, your toddler is uncommunicative, or she doesn't like to be touched. Additionally, if there are signs of hair loss or you notice your toddler actually pulling out her hair or eyelashes, it's time to call about next steps.
Most of the time, however, hair twirling behavior gradually disappears on its own just like thumb sucking and those other cute but curious toddler habits.
Yes 
No 
Trending On What to Expect
