Alopecia areata is an unpredictable disease and even with complete remission it is possible for it to occur again throughout your child's lifetime.

Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disorder of the skin that results in partial or total hair loss. It is unpredictable, although often genetic and it usually begins in childhood. The disorder occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s hair follicles as if it were a disease, squeezing the follicles so that no more hair can grow. If your child is losing hair and developing round, smooth bald patches, he may have alopecia areata.

Hair loss before six months of age is almost never due to this autoimmune disorder; so do not be concerned with a baby this young- it is quite common for a newborn to lose some or all of his hair. Alopecia does often appear in childhood, however, and it can be psychologically devastating. Patches may appear and then grow back, only to reoccur later- it is a very erratic condition.