What nutrients does a 5 year old child lack if he has a lot of hair loss?

My child is only 5 years old but for the past 2 weeks he has been losing a lot of hair. I have changed his shampoo but it has not improved. What should I do now? Doctor, is my child lacking something that causes hair loss?

(Ms. Hoang Thu Thuy, residing in Dinh Quan district)

Doctor replied:

Hello!

Hair loss in 5-year-old children can be caused by many different factors, including both physiological and pathological factors. Some common causes include:

- Micronutrient deficiency: Children need enough iron, zinc, vitamin D, B vitamins (especially biotin), protein... for healthy hair growth. A diet lacking in these nutrients can cause hair loss.

- Endocrine disorders or diseases: Some diseases such as rickets due to vitamin D deficiency, thyroid disease, dermatitis, scalp fungus... can cause severe hair loss. If your baby's hair falls out in patches, is scaly, itchy or accompanied by other unusual signs, you should take your baby to the doctor for examination.

- External factors: You have changed the shampoo but your baby's hair still falls out, it could be because the shampoo is not suitable, causing scalp irritation. In addition, tying hair too tightly, brushing hair vigorously or the baby having the habit of pulling hair can also cause hair loss.

To improve hair loss in children, you can add foods rich in iron (red meat, fish, eggs), zinc (seafood, nuts), vitamin D (early morning sunbathing, milk), and vitamin B group in your child's diet. At the same time, use a mild shampoo specifically for children, avoid washing hair too often, should wash 2-3 times/week, after washing, dry your child's hair. Do not leave the scalp wet for a long time.

If after 2-4 weeks the hair loss does not improve or there are unusual signs (patchy hair loss, flaky scalp, severe itching, etc.), you should take your baby to a dermatologist for examination.

Hope your hair condition improves soon!

Doctor Pham Thi Huong,

Dermatology Clinic, Long Khanh Regional General Hospital

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/alo--bac-si-oi/202503/be-5-tuoi-bi-rung-toc-nhieu-la-thieu-chat-gi-920000e/