When I was brushing my daughter’s hair the other day, something caught my eye – funky looking scales on her head. This is a common issue for infants and toddlers who have cradle cap. When she first came home from the hospital as an infant this happened often but after months of battling it with different shampoos we finally saw some progress in getting rid of it!
But now here we are again… what does that mean? It haunted me when she had these slithery things all over her little noggin so you can imagine how frustrated I am to see them back again.
So I did a lot of research, both with my pediatrician and checking with my mom friends, and it turns out that cradle cap in toddlers is totally normal and isn’t contagious. You might be panicking right now but don’t worry because it’s not a sign of poor hygiene or bad parenting. If you have been experiencing the same problem as me, here are some tips to help with your childs’ condition!
What is toddler cradle cap?
Toddler cradle cap is a type of seborrhoeic dermatitis and it is very common. The sebaceous glands in the skin of babies and adults make a greasy substance called sebum, which helps make the skin waterproof.
Toddlers are usually victims of this scaly, white cradle cap. This is caused by the glands in their scalp producing too much sebum which traps dead skin cells and flakes together on top-looking like scales or lumps. Sometimes it’s a result from hormones that still linger around after birth as well as Malassezia furfur (skin yeasts).
Other conditions that can cause a scaly rash on the scalp is eczema, psoriasis, tinea or scabies. Winter weather conditions like low humidity or temperature changes as well as possible causes of dandruff such as excess sodium laurel sulfate shampoo ingredients which strip away natural oils from hair can also contribute to scalp irritation.
What Cradle Cap look like?
If your toddler’s scalp has flaky, dry skin that looks like dandruff, or thick scaling patches with a yellowish brown hue to them it is most likely cradle cap.
How do you treat it?
Toddler cradle cap is a common condition that can be cured over 2-3 months, but it may get better faster if you try these methods. If your toddler has severe cradle cap consult with their pediatrician first before trying any of the following remedies:
- Only wash hair every 3 to 4 days. Over-washing only causes dryness, which worsens the problem.
- You can consider using an anti-dandruff shampoo on your toddler’s hair, but you have to be very careful that it doesn’t get in their eyes. Also be aware that these shampoos contain chemicals and strong fragrances.
- Instead, you can massage a natural oil into your toddler’s scalp about an hour before bath time. I prefer to use coconut oil because it is a natural anti-fungal (some cradle cap is caused by yeast), won’t irritate sensitive skin, and smells great. After you’ve treated the scalp with oil, take a soft brush or old toothbrush and carefully brush your toddler’s scalp. This will remove any excess flakes and encourage the cradle cap to soften and loosen.
- Be very gentle when removing the flakes caused by cradle cap. You don’t want to damage your toddler’s skin, leaving it exposed to bacteria and prone to an infection that can make your child very sick.
- Do NOT use petroleum jelly to treat cradle cap, because some children have reactions to petroleum products that include irritation and skin weeping.
How can I prevent toddler cradle cap?
Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do to keep the cradle cap from reoccurring. It may go away permanently after treatment, but it also likely come back during the next few months because although treatments will remove scales – they don’t stop glands making too much oil.
Cradle cap is a common skin condition, but it’s not always the end of the story. For some children with cradle cap, they may go on to have other rashes such as eczema in their later years. Sometimes this can happen because for these kids too much sebum isn’t being produced by their own body and so when puberty comes around they will be prone to dandruff.
