What is it?
Cradle Cap is actually a form of dermatitis characterized by yellowy, crusty skin on the scalp. It isn't a symptom of an illness or a sign that there is something wrong with your baby and it isn't contagious. It certainly doesn't imply that you aren't caring well for your baby. Cradle Cap is just one of those common occurrences in babyhood and it is easily treated. It usually occurs in the first few months of baby's life and can last until your baby is 6 -12 months old. Occasionally it can last into the toddler years and beyond.
What causes it?
Nobody really knows the cause, but one theory is that as baby's skin grows so quickly oftentimes the top layer doesn't get a chance to come off before the new layer grows and this is when you get this extra crusty flaky layer forming.
What to do:
Cradle cap can clear up on it's own without doing anything other than normal hair washing, but if it bothers you here are some things you can try:- Rub some baby oil or olive oil over baby's scalp and leave it on for an hour or so. It's good to do this before bath time.
- During your baby's bath you can then wet your baby's scalp and gently brush the scalp with a soft-bristle brush for a couple of minutes.
- Then wash your baby's head with some baby shampoo, rinse and gently dry with a towel. You may not remove it all and that's okay. You can repeat this process over the next few days.
- It can feel itchy so make sure you keep your baby's nails short.
- If the look bothers you have your baby wear a cute hat!
By Nicole Rawson-Huff
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