For months, Jodie Collins thought her 14-year-old daughter Erin was dealing with a common issue like gluten intolerance.
But what doctors eventually found was far more unexpected — a huge, smelly hairball the size of a melon trapped in Erin’s stomach.
This rare condition not only caused severe stomach pain but also left Erin dangerously anaemic.
A Mother’s Journey Through Confusing Symptoms
Jodie, who lives in Newquay, Cornwall, spent months bouncing between doctors trying to get to the bottom of Erin’s mysterious tummy troubles.
The pains started back in November of the previous year and came and went without any clear cause.
At first, Jodie suspected food intolerances like lactose or gluten, but tests came back normal.
It wasn’t until Erin’s cramps got significantly worse in May that Jodie insisted on more thorough checks — and that’s when doctors discovered a hard lump in her daughter’s stomach.
The Shocking Discovery of a Giant Hairball
Rushed to Bristol Children’s Hospital, Erin underwent surgery where surgeons removed an 8.3-inch trichobezoar — a massive hairball stuck in her stomach.
The size and smell reportedly shocked the medical team, and doctors believe the hairball had been growing there for years.
Jodie explained that Erin has been twirling her hair since she was a baby but never seemed to eat it intentionally.
Doctors suspect she might have been swallowing strands of hair in her sleep without realizing it.
How the Hairball Affected Erin’s Health
The hairball was so large that it stretched Erin’s stomach to three times its normal size.
Because of this blockage, her body couldn’t properly absorb nutrients, leaving her anaemic and with other nutritional deficiencies.
Surgeons spent five hours carefully removing the blockage, then gave Erin a personalized vitamin and mineral food plan to help her recover. Jodie admitted she never imagined the situation could be so serious.
Coping and Moving Forward After the Scare
Erin spent 10 days in hospital recovering and is now on the mend, though her stomach may stay enlarged for some time.
To prevent any future issues, Jodie has bought her daughter a special bonnet to wear at night, hoping to break the cycle of hair-twirling that likely caused the problem.
Jodie also encourages parents to find fidget toys or consider therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) if hair-twirling becomes a serious habit.
She hopes other families will learn from their experience and seek help early before things get out of hand.
A Warning for Other Parents
This unusual case shines a light on a lesser-known risk associated with hair-twirling and hair-eating habits, especially in children who may not even realize they are doing it.
Jodie’s story is a reminder to pay attention to strange or persistent symptoms and to advocate for thorough medical checks when something just doesn’t feel right.
