A new book tells young readers about alopecia areata, or hair loss, in children

It was the autumn of 2019, a few months short of the deadly attack by the dreaded C. No, not cancer, because that is the first word that comes to mind, but Covid, a freshly coined word – one that nobody had ever heard of before. In the coming months, people’s lives all over the world would turn upside down. Closer home, here in India, Ramona’s world, too, was about to turn topsy-turvy, but for a different reason.

Like trees in autumn, Ramona’s hair was shedding. Every morning, Ramona would wake up to a fresh fall. A large clump on her pillow, like a cluster of ominous black spiders with sprawled legs, ungainly clumps in the bathroom drain…hair…hair everywhere. And it was not just at night-time. It was all over the floors of her house even during the day. Anytime and every time she touched her hair, a bunch came out in her hand.

One morning, she parted her hair and stood in front of the mirror, staring in stunned horror. There was a shiny, round spot on her scalp. This couldn’t be happening! Not to her! She, who was known in her class for her beautiful, healthy mane! How could she...

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