A mother from Colchester, Essex, has shared her family's heartbreaking journey after mistaking the first sign of her son's alopecia for a bad haircut. Kerry Osborne, 31, initially thought her seven-year-old son Leo had grabbed a razor from the bathroom and shaved a patch of his own head in December 2023. Instead, the smooth bald patch was the first symptom of alopecia areata, which later progressed to alopecia universalis—a condition causing total hair loss on the body.
From Lecture to Diagnosis
Kerry recalls giving Leo a stern lecture about using her razor. 'I gave him a massive lecture and he said he didn't but I thought he would deny it anyway even if he had done it,' she said. 'I thought it would grow back.' Within days, more patches appeared. After two days, two more patches emerged; five days later, a large bald patch appeared on the top of his head. Leo lost his hair from back to front, eventually leaving only a central strip.
Blood and thyroid tests at the GP came back clear, leading to a referral to a dermatologist at Colchester General Hospital, where Leo was initially diagnosed with alopecia areata. As hair loss spread to his arms, legs, eyebrows, and eyelashes, the diagnosis was updated to alopecia universalis.
Bullying on and off the Pitch
Leo, now 10, has faced cruel taunts from peers. In one incident at a football tournament, an opposing player called him a 'bald cancer idiot' after Leo shook hands post-match. Another child joked he was 'diseased.' Kerry said the cancer comment broke Leo down in tears, describing it as her 'final straw' in May 2024. She added, 'A child of 10 would not know what cancer and being bald have to do with each other. This child probably overheard a parent making a comment.'
At school, a girl told Leo he had a disease and looked ugly. Kerry noted, 'You cannot punish a child who has no understanding of something. They need education so they understand.' The school has since held assemblies about alopecia.
NHS Referral Declined, Private Treatment Sought
Kerry sought specialist treatment under Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, but the referral was declined with no given reason. A trust spokesperson stated, 'There is currently no licensed advanced treatments available at Guy's and St Thomas' to treat alopecia areata in children under 12, and we are not currently enrolling any children for clinical trials.' Catherine Morgan, Chief Nurse at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Colchester Hospital, said, 'We are continuing to work closely with the family to support them with Leo's ongoing care and treatment.' A second NHS referral has been sent, but the family is still waiting.
GoFundMe Campaign for Private Care
Unable to afford private treatment, Kerry launched a GoFundMe page, which has raised over £1,000. The funds have enabled a first private appointment at Mayfair Children's Clinic in London. Kerry hopes to understand why Leo developed alopecia, as there is no family history. 'We hope we can then purchase some kind of medication for him as he goes to secondary school soon, as kids are cruel,' she said.
Leo has tried steroid treatment without success and continues to attend check-ups every six months. Kerry advocates for more education about alopecia in schools to reduce bullying, stating, 'If a child is saying things that are not nice about Leo, it's because he looks different. They need the education so they understand.'
