Alopecia my ass

So, it was what we had been told . Alopecia .  The dr was really nice and took time to talk to Ilin who sat there with a blank stare.  She said alopecia is actually quite common in teens and she usually just sends them home with the encouragement that it should grow back in a year. She was concerned about Ilin because he had lost so much hair in 3 months and in a pattern which is not common.  Most people don't lose from the back up ( think about pattern baldness). Also the fact he is now losing his body hair,arms and legs.   she explained that this puts him in a higher bracket with a less likely chance of regrowth.  Only time will tell if he will lose all of it, but she was pretty definite that this auto immune disease would be with him the rest of his life.  She's looked at him and said, " this really really sucks.  But you aren't going to lose your life. And it's not going to take any time off the end of your life...it's just going to suck".   She gave him his options for treatment.  He can do a steroid burst for 2 months to stimulate hair growth.  She said it works in about 60% of kids...but what does happen is often it falls right back out when you stop the steroid.  Sometimes this is really emotional on the kids.  We are going to allow Ilin to make the decision of treatment.  She also told him many kids just decide to do nothing...shave it and go about their lives.  She thinks this may be the easiest ...but understands that everyone has to make the decision for them selves. The dr said the steroid may be tough on Ilin because he has a low immune system all ready.  It would also have side affects we are all aware of which would open him up to more issues at school unless he is willing to educate people. He shed a few tears, was pretty tough... So we will see what he decides.  I explained the way autoimmune disease works.  How it's all screwed up and even though he's not sick his immune system is so whacked out it is going after whatever it can find to fight ,and for him it's his hair follicles.   After the silent ride home I took him to get his drivers Learning permit...which took 3 hours of waiting for a 20 minute test...which he passed!  ;). I had to make sure he had one good thing today...although he did have to take his hat off for the picture...which made the lady taking a picture do a tiny gasp as she said , "ok, honey, holds your head up just a bit and smile...you are doing great." He opted to not go back to school for the day and just laid on the couch like a zombie watching Malcom in the Middle for 4 hours straight. So...it's only hair...we will figure it out...his dad said we can buy him a wig...you know they make great wigs,  I actually laughed out loud..sure...let's get the emo kid a wig...I'm voting for flock of seagulls or Afro....   with pick of course Xo M...