How to handle Cradle Cap in Children

There would certainly be panic in my mind if I found yellow scales or lots of rashes on my baby’s body, but not everything should get you worried as a nursing mother according to my Mum. Cradle cap is a condition that affects children, but it is nothing to worry about in a literal sense.

Image Credit

Cradle caps affect children but usually go away before the baby turns one. The scales that are seen are typically flaky or greasy with a rash surrounding them. These rashes may appear scary to you as a concerned mother, but your baby is not in any form of danger or discomfort, you can relax as a worried mama (smiles).

Cradle cap is also called pityriasis capitis, it is a subset of infantile seborrheic dermatitis (ISD). It is common for a cradle cap to start within three months of birth, and because of how soon it begins to affect infants, it goes away before one would know, it is only during rare occasions that a baby would develop a cradle cap at age 1 or 2.

The patches mostly appear on the scalp, but may also show on the ears, eyelids, face, slides of the nose, and eyebrows. Body folds are also not an exemption, it shows appearance in the neck folds, under the arms, groin folds, elbow crease, and behind the knees.

Image Credit

Just like a few other conditions that affect babies, researchers do not know the exact reason behind the skin condition. There is a suspicion that it may be one of the hormones that is passed down from mother to child even before birth, these hormones can cause oil glands and hair follicles to produce excessive oil, this oil is called sebum.

Another possible reason may be because of a fungus known as malassezia, this fungus grows in the sebum along with the bacteria. With antifungal treatments, symptoms can be controlled. The symptoms experienced vary depending on the child, it may come in the form of dry or green-yellowish scales on the scalp, it may also appear red, with mild inflammation, and does not cause any discomfort to the child.

Building the act of shampooing your baby’s hair every few days could prevent cradle caps. There is a possibility of bacterial co-infection, but complications are rare, and may only possibly happen with repeated scratching that gets irritated. Other scalp conditions that may have the resemblance of cradle cap are; Impetigo, Tinea capitis, Psoriasis, Atopic dermatitis, and Contact irritant dermatitis.

Image Credit

Treatments will depend on the age, symptoms, and general health of the child. How severe the condition is, also goes a long way too. Although treatments may not be required, some parents would love to treat as it helps reduce anxiety and it also helps reduce symptoms. Available treatment options include;

•Consistent shampooing with a mild, and non-medicated shampoo with the use of a soft brush.

•Use special shampoo as prescribed by a medical expert.

•Use corticosteroids lotion or cream for a short time.

•Rub the scalp with petroleum jelly or baby oil to help soften the crusts before washing.

Do not get worried about a cradle cap if your baby has got it, your baby is just fine and it is harmless and common. Even if the cradle cap lingers a little longer than usual or rashes develop in other places, it will still be fine, but if you get worried, you can visit your doctor just to be double sure.

For Further Studies.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cradle-cap/symptoms-causes/syc-20350396

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531463/

https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/cradle-cap

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/seborrheic-dermatitis-cradle-cap

https://dermnetnz.org/topics/cradle-cap

Hi, I am Tobi, a writer, speaker, relationship blogger,
and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people.
If you want to hear me speak about relationships and general life
issues, you can find my YouTube channel
where you can watch any episode for free, please do not forget to
subscribe, friends. I sincerely appreciate every love I get from here,
Kindly do well to keep them coming.