hope this helps

Posted by Tammy on January 22, 2003 at 08:14:48:

In Reply to: Cradle crap posted by Rachel on January 20, 2003 at 19:02:16:

: I need to know what to do about my sons cradle crap. He has had it over a month now and I have brought him to the doctors and I have done the baby oil thing. I have even let the baby oil on for 20 minutes and then I wash, I also have tried not washing his hair at all for a couple of days and it still hasen't gone away. Please Help! I am running out of ideas to do and it looks gross and people always try and pick it out of his head.

Tameryn had the same thing YUCK and all i did was treat it 2 times and its all gone
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Cradle Cap

DEFINITION
Yellow scales and crusts attached to the scalp.
Scales can be greasy or dry.
Not itchy or painful.
Begins in the first 2 to 6 weeks of life. Is usually gone by 6 months of age.

Cause
The cause of cradle cap is unknown. It may be caused by maternal hormones that crossed the placenta before birth and stimulated the oil glands. It is not caused by poor hygiene. Cradle cap is not contagious and does not recur. If redness also occurs behind the ears, in body creases (armpit, groin and neck), and in the diaper area, cradle cap is part of a condition called seborrheic dermatitis.

Expected Course
Without treatment it can last for months, but it will eventually clear up on its own. With treatment it is usually cleared up in a few weeks.

Home Care
Antidandruff shampoo. Antidandruff shampoos slow down the scaling and flaking of skin. They do not require a prescription.
Your child's antidandruff shampoo is _______________.

Be careful to keep this shampoo out of the eyes. Wash your baby's hair with it twice a week. While the hair is lathered, massage your baby's scalp with a soft brush or rough washcloth. Don't worry about hurting the soft spot; it's well protected. Once the cradle cap has cleared up, use a regular shampoo twice a week.

Softening thick crusts or scales. If your child's scalp is very crusty, put some baby oil or olive oil on the scalp 1 hour before washing to soften the crust. Wash all the oil off, however, or it may worsen the cradle cap.

Resistant cradle cap. If the rash is red and irritated, apply 1% hydrocortisone cream (nonprescription) three times a day for 7 days.

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