Gabby
by Janet

Parenting a Teen With Vitiligo

My primary concern as a mother of a child with Vitiligo was my daughter’s self-esteem. For a teen with no challenges, the teen years are brutal in many ways. Gabby is not a complainer so she never says a word when she experiences staring or other uncomfortable moments. We do talk sometimes about her challenges but she refuses to complain and rarely talks about it. I am the one who brings it up.

For all teens it is essential their self-esteem comes from many parts of their lives. For so many young women, all of their self-worth is based upon their outward physical appearance. It is important that teens have the opportunity to try different activities so they find what they are best at and have a chance to experience excellence or proficiency at athletics, dance, music, martial arts, dance or academics. Physical appearance is important also but I have tried to emphasize health and modesty with my daughters instead of what they see in magazines and on television.

Inner beauty is something that Gabby also has. I can observe this by seeing her interaction with her peers and others she is in contact with. I know her inner beauty has attracted many to her. She is also a very compassionate and gentle person and is the last to judge others based upon outward appearances.

One of the reasons Gabby has done well, I think, is that her almost complete depigmentation occurred before her teen years. By fifth grade she had lost most all of her skin color and was a well-adjusted young person. Over a period of three years she gradually lost her color. In 2004 she had her first introduction to other children with Vitiligo and I think it must have been a turning point for her. We attended the AVRF conference in Florida for the first time that year. It was a great experience for our whole family. The connections we made with those families are important and we value the experience greatly. We look forward to our next trip to Florida!

Janet