Babies Tale

Cradle cap [seborrheic dermatitis] Is a skin condition which yellowish, scaly or crusty patches made up largely of oil and dead ski cells appear on the scalp. The condition is most common in infants, but it is seen occasionally seen in children through age five. Some temporary loss of hair may even occur. While the patches most often appear on the scalp. They may extend onto the forehead. They may also appear on the skin fold behind the baby’s ears, behind the ears themselves and in the diaper area. The most typical area is over the soft spot [ anterior fontanel] on top of the baby’s head.

Cradle cap is quite common and not difficult to treat. Mild cases can usually be cleared up by daily shampooing, using regular baby soap on a wet, rough facecloth wrapped around your hand. Soften the crusts first by massaging a small amount of baby oil into the baby’s scalp and leaving it there overnight. Rub the baby’s head vigorously during both the washing and the drying, don’t worry about the soft spots; you won’t hurt them. Gently comb the baby’s scalp, whether or not he has hair.

If regular shampooing doesn’t work, you can use a special shampoo that contains coal tar or salicylic acid. Your doctor or pharmacist can recommend one. Ointments containing sulfur, salicylic acid, or coal tar can be used for especially difficult cases. Be especially careful to keep medicated shampoos and ointments out of your baby’s eyes, and stop using them if the scalp or skin becomes irritated or red. If the cradle cap doesn’t respond to treatment, see your doctor, who can determine if a yeast infection or an allergic reaction may be causing the problem.

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