A strand of gray hair on my child

There are some health conditions that can cause gray hair in children. One such condition is alopecia areata, which causes patches of hair loss on the scalp and other parts of the body. As the hair grows back, it may be gray at first.

Vitamin B12 deficiency can also cause gray hair. This vitamin is found in animal products (such as fish, meat, milk and eggs) but is also added to fortified cereals and multivitamin supplements. Abnormal thyroid hormone levels in the body (either too low or too high) can also cause gray hair. Your pediatrician may perform a blood test if one of these conditions is suspected.

Less commonly, gray hair may be associated with childhood disorders such as vitiligo (which also causes a decrease of pigment in the skin), tuberous sclerosis, neurofibromatosis and Waardenburg syndrome. These disorders run in families and have other symptoms such as seizures, tumors under the skin, and hearing loss.