Tieu Thien, a six-year-old elementary school student from China, is a cute little girl. Her mother is usually very attentive and takes good care of her daughter. However, recently, while shopping with her daughter under the sun, she noticed that Tieu Thien’s eyelashes were a bit shiny and seemed to have turned white.
When they returned home, her mother’s intuition kicked in, and she felt that something was not quite right. So, she called Tieu Thien into the room and carefully examined her eyelashes. The more she looked, the more concerned she became, as Tieu Thien’s eyelashes were indeed turning whiter. At this point, realizing the situation could be serious, the mother immediately took Tieu Thien to the hospital.
After receiving the doctor’s diagnosis, Tieu Thien’s mother was astonished. The doctor explained that although Tieu Thien only had a few white eyelashes, there were actually many large white spots around her eyes. The reason they hadn’t been noticeable was because of her fair skin tone, which often leads to such spots being overlooked. Tieu Thien was diagnosed with “vitiligo,” a “difficult-to-cure” disease!
After hearing the doctor’s conclusion, Tieu Thien’s mother carefully observed the skin around her daughter’s eyes and found that there indeed was a large area of skin that differed from the rest of the skin around her eyes.
In fact, Tieu Thien’s mother knew a little about vitiligo. People with this condition develop white spots on certain areas of their skin, and their hair can also start to turn white. This explained why Tieu Thien’s eyelashes had turned white, as the vitiligo had spread to this area.
Although vitiligo is considered a “difficult-to-cure” disease, it can be effectively managed. Therefore, the doctor prescribed oral medications, topical creams, and phototherapy for the little girl. Tieu Thien cooperated well with the treatment plan and diligently took her medications as directed by the doctor. However, vitiligo doesn’t improve that quickly. When Tieu Thien went to school, one side of her eyes had black eyelashes, while the other side still had white eyelashes.
How does vitiligo affect children? These three points are the most common.
Tieu Thien’s mother was worried about her daughter’s “unusual appearance” and how it might impact her. So, how does vitiligo affect children?
– First point: Impact on physical health
After a child develops vitiligo, the affected areas of the skin become more sensitive to sunlight due to the lack of melanin. If sun protection is not properly applied, the affected areas are more prone to sunburn.
Additionally, vitiligo can impact a child’s immune system, leading to a decrease in overall health.
– Second point: Impact on mental health
This has a more significant impact on children, as vitiligo requires long-term treatment. Moreover, the treatment process is relatively “complicated,” involving not only oral medications but also topical treatments and the use of specialized equipment. This can place a considerable psychological burden on children, causing anxiety and even depression.
Furthermore, vitiligo can expose children to additional external mental pressures. For instance, comments and ridicule from others about their appearance can create a psychological burden and lead to feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem.
– Third point: Impact on appearance
The areas of skin affected by vitiligo will be significantly whiter than the surrounding skin, and any hair growing in these areas will also turn white, impacting the child’s appearance.
However, the impact of vitiligo on appearance is not necessarily negative. For example, Tieu Thien’s classmates did not find her appearance “very ugly” but rather “very beautiful.” Since she had white eyelashes on one side and black eyelashes on the other, many of her peers thought this was “super cool.”
Nonetheless, vitiligo generally has a negative impact on appearance, as the affected areas are often asymmetrical, with unpredictable sizes and irregular shapes. Most vitiligo patients will face an “unattractive” appearance.
How can we reduce the risk of vitiligo in children? These three points are essential but often the most overlooked.
– Health damage
Health damage mentioned here includes various aspects, such as long-term exposure to harmful substances, certain diseases, injuries, excessive sun exposure, etc.
Both internal and external injuries can damage melanocyte cells in the affected areas, leading to vitiligo.
Therefore, parents must focus on maintaining their children’s physical health to avoid any harm to their bodies.
– Eating too many snacks
Snacking can lead to vitiligo, and this is a very common cause. However, the reason snacking causes vitiligo is not because snacks contain disease-causing factors but because it affects the child’s regular meal intake, leading to nutritional deficiencies.
In other words, the real cause of vitiligo in children is malnutrition. So, parents must establish healthy eating habits for their children to ensure comprehensive nutrition.
– Excessive mental stress
According to related sources, if a child undergoes excessive mental stress or overworks their brain, they may develop vitiligo.
Therefore, parents should pay attention to relieving their children’s mental stress and avoid forcing them to study beyond their capacity. Instead, create a balance between learning and rest, ensuring a healthy psychological environment.
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