The medical staff of a hospital in Taraz, Kazakhstan were stunned when they found a giant hairball weighing nearly 2 kilos in the stomach of an 11-year-old girl.
The young girl had been complaining of a severe stomach ache which was hindering her ability to eat or drink anything.
When she was brought to the hospital, the medical staff decided to do an emergency surgery.
Yahoo news reports that the giant ball of hair had already blocked 17 centimeters of her stomach and stretched up to about 35 centimeters into her bowel.
Both of her parents admitted that they had indeed noticed their daughter chewing her own hair. But they were not aware of her compulsion to swallow them afterwards.
Surgeons were stunned by the extent of the accumulation of hair in her stomach and intestines.
She had Rapunzel Syndrome
Rapunzel syndrome occurs when ingested hair accumulates in the stomach. If not properly and promptly diagnosed, this causes serious problems such as inability to eat, drink, or pass stool.
This condition begins due to Trichophagia which is a behavior common in those suffering from Trichtillomania,or the compulsion to eat one’s own hair which is awhich is called ‘Rapunzel syndrome’ at its most severe stage.
Doctors are now confident that the girl will be able to eat and drink again after the ‘trichobezoar’ hairball was successfully removed.
characterized by the consumption of human hair. This habit can cause severe complications if not diagnosed and treated promptly.
On the next page, find out how to know if your child suffers from Trichtillomania.
Those who suffer from Trichtillomania, which develops an insatiable appetite for eating hair (Trichophagia), usually eat their own hair but they can also feel the need to eat the hair of others, especially when they find it, say, on a hairbrush or in a sink.
The consumed hair then forms a mass inside the person’s stomach and gastrointestinal tract.
This mass can result in massive complications. In some severe cases, it may even lead to death.
The exact cause of this condition has yet to be discovered.
It is not just a ‘nervous habit’
Despite that, what is known about Trichophagia is that it is a neurologically based behavior.
It could have originated from a conflict or trauma brought about a specific childhood event or memory.
Some say it could also be genetic, with parents or close relatives possibly carrying genes which predispose the child to developing the obsessive-compulsive disorder later on in life.
Other theories posit that the behavior can be acquired through imitation of an older sibling or relative.
How can I tell if my child has the disorder?
Aside from noticing a habit of nibbling or picking one’s own hair out, stomach pain, and indigestion may be indicative of this.
The previously mentioned case is an extreme kind where the giant hairball (also known as trichobezoar) accumulates in the stomach and intestines, causing an impairment in the body’s natural functions.
Severe cases not only hinder eating or drinking but also block the bowels as well, causing an inability to pass stool.
Though medication can help in the early stages, surgery is indicated for cases wherein there are severe blockages in the gastrointestinal tract.
So if you spot your child chewing on his or her own hair, it’s best to make sure that this doesn’t develop into something more than just a simple mannerism.
READ: 2-year-old’s death highlights danger of swallowing small objects
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