3 Year-old with Dry, Flaky Scalp.

My daughter had the same problem. I used Selsun Blue shampoo once a week and it took care of the problem. At first I thought it was cradle cap but the doc said it was exema.

My thought is to try and wash her hair more often? Seems counterintuitive but the oils & skin can build up and cause the flaky scalp. 2-3 times a week should do it, try and see.

I give my son baths a few time a week(or try to anyway!), not everyday. I only wash his hair with baby shampoo (my favorite is Target Brand's "J&J" type that's yellow-gold colored) then just let him play in the water with the bit of shampoo suds. Occasionally I'll take a wringed out washcloth to his ears, bum, and toes but really, I dont soap his body, dont think it needs it.

Dear C.,
Gosh...some of these moms sounded a little harsh.
I'm sure they meant well.
In your defense, I knew someone that only bathed their child once per week because the child had really dry skin and she was afraid she was washing the natural oils off.
She had 4 other kids that practically lived in the bath, but this one had a skin condition and Mom didn't get good advice about it and thought not bathing her so much would help.
That said, I personally believe that children should be bathed more than once a week, from the time they're babies. There are several reasons I believe this.
One is that a warm bath before bedtime is a wonderful way to get your child all fresh and cozy and settled in for rest.
Secondly, they need to be used to the water. Bath time actually prepares them for not being afraid to have water on their heads or faces and a love for splashing around. It makes for water safety as they get older. The first lessons they learn about water are at home.
Third, I have a girl and a boy. I wanted them both to have a love of washing so I wouldn't go through what some other people do of the phase where a kid decides they don't need to wash. If you just make it part of the routine early on, that's what they are used to. It is so important for girls to understand keeping themselves clean because of the weird things our bodies do to us. And as for little boys, let me say....there is nothing like going to a basketball game and sitting in a gym with a bunch of sweaty little boys.
Your daughter is 3 now, so she might actually need something different than baby wash and shampoo. And, she might need a little conditioner. She might just be getting some build up on her scalp from skin cells that naturally sluff off and then hair oils combined with that.
Introduce her to the shower. I put my kids in the shower with me from the time they were tiny and by 3, they were in the shower and singing all on their own. Of course I made sure they shampooed and soaped before they got out.
I know you work and you are super busy. I'm a single mom, so I know all about that. But I truly believe that getting into the bath/shower routine everyday now will make things easier on you, not to mention later.
It's a signal that the day is winding down and can be very calming.
I wish you the very best.

It could be that more hair is growing in. I had the same problem with my daughter (who spent the first 3 years of her life almost bald:) but in the last few months, finally started getting hair. She started getting more hair right around the time that the flaking started. It seemed more prominent in a certain area as opposed to when she was an infant, it was in a larger area.
Don't you love it when people try to push their opinions on you? It's at your discretion how often you choose to bathe your child and considering you don't live on a deserted island, I'm sure that if the once weekly bath was an issue, someone close to you would have said something.
You people don't know why she chooses to bathe once a week, so until you do keep your judgment to yourself. If she wanted to know how often you bathe your child, she would have asked. It could be a medical condition or allergy but whatever it is, that's not what she asked. When she does, you can respond.

I remember trying lots of different things for this with my son and the thing that finally worked - was olive oil. I rubbed a little at a time in while he watched a video and when the 1/2 hour was up we took a bath an d washed his hair. I think I might have done this a couple of times but it really worked!

Hi C.!

Does she have thick hair? It could be "Cradle's Cap". Even though they say it happens as infants, both of my boys had it when they were between 3-5 because of their thick hair :o)

Also, when you wash her hair, make sure that you have rinsed it completely. I used to wash my boys hair in our kitchen sink, because it had the "sprayer", and I was sure to get out all the shampoo.

You might also want to try washing her hair 2-3 times a week. That might help, too :o)

Good Luck, C.!

:o) N.

My son had the same problem and I used Neutragena shampoo for sensitive skin.

Is it possible for you to switch to a neutral, healthy soap such as Dr. Bonner's (available many places, including Trader Joe's)? There are a lot of toxins and preservatives in baby shampoos, for example. No More Tears contains the following ingredients:

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, PEG-150 Distearate, Fragrance, Polyquaternium-10, Tetrasodium EDTA, Quaternium-15, Citric Acid, Yellow 10 and Orange 4. May also contain: Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide.

Do these sound like things we want to put on children? Dr. Bonner's is completely natural, made as soaps were for thousands of years. (And, no, I am not related to them and don't even know them. Our kids have fabulous skin.)

Many times it is an internal issue. Add a little omega oil to her food everyday will help moisturize the skin. Try flax or a combination oil. You can find them in any natural food store. It's also great for brain development.

I'd also like to add, please don't give the rudeness in anothers email any thought. Some people lack simple kindness skills.

I was reading the responses and I noticed Sandra M's list of ingredients in Johnson's No More Tears. Did you know that quaternium and poly-quaternium are formaldehyde off-gassers? That means that they release formaldehyde. For natural household products check out. www.SwitchingStores.Info. If you request information, I am the only one who will see your name and I will personally contact you to help you get better, safer products that are less expensive than brand name products.

Please bathe her more often. Poor thing. Once a week is not enough for a messy and moving 3 year old. Perhaps you are used to the smell, but bacteria and/or fungus (fungus is a typical cause of dandruff which is why dandruff shampoos are often anti-fungal(tea tree)) are likely causing the problem. (or just oil and dead skin build up). Think about how gross you would feel if you couldn't bathe for a week. Try not washing your hair for a week and see how itchy and oily you feel.
There are lots of "green" body wash and shampoos out there nowadays so there is no excuse. Try California Baby- its great.

I've only read a few responses so far but my daughter has the same problem and I bathe her more than once a week so how often you bathe your child has nothing to do with the dry scalp

Hi,

We use Noodle and Boo products with our 13 month old daughter who has sensitive skin. Noodle and Boo products are very gentle and I believe they have a shampoo for sensitive scalps.

Hope this helps.
C.

switch to nourish spa shampoo from trader joes. you need sodium laureth sulfate free products to avoid drying your skin out so the more frequent bathing wont be a problem. also the dr. sears omega chews help with psoriasis if that is in fact what it is. omegas are great for the skin and their developing brain

Try the brand, Nature's Paradise coconut hair and body wash. It is all natural made with coconut - very moisturizing. You can't find it in stores, but can go to their website.

You only bathe her ONCE a week??!!! I mean, you don't need to bathe your babies every day (though I always did and just moisturized them very thoroughly after every bath) but at once a week at three years when they do get extremely dirty and sweaty just from living, I wouldn't be surprised if her flaky scalp was due to oil and dirt build up! Human bodies need to be bathed to cleanse away the every day pollutants, dirt, and sweat regardless of activity level or lifestyle, and the scalp is no different from the skin- her scalp makes oil, and if you don't wash her scalp thoroughly, the oil glands can become crusted over with a build up. Yuck! Would you be content with only bathing once a week?
Use a natural body wash and shampoo/conditioner like California Baby (you can even get it at target) - its all natural, has no harmful chemicals, and took care of my daughters previous issue with dry scalp. However, you need to wash your kiddo at least every two days, or her flaky scalp is likely due to NOT being washed enough.

Hi,
The Body Shop at Home has a new baby shampoo worth trying (Buritchi). Check out my website: www.thebodyshopathome.com/web/cflesher.
Thanks,
Cynthia

C.,

Your child needs to be taking baths more frequently. For an active 3 year old, once a week is not enough. Keep them short - water is a scarce resource.

try rubbing jojoba oil in her scalp.

I agree with the other mothers. You need to wash your baby much more often, like every other day. To address your immediate need of healing her scalp, I suggest olive oil. Rub it in and use a soft bristle brush and gently scrub the area in a circular motion. Next, let it sit for at least 15 - 30 minutes. Then, give her a bath and wash her hair well. You may want to use the soft bristle brush to brush the shampoo in her hair. Rinse well.

I have to agree with another woman below, and say to wash your daughter more often. My son is 3 and he usually takes two baths a day, which is probably too much, but he likes to be clean. If I went a whole week only washing my hair once, it would itch and have flakes too. On a different note, if you are using regular baby shampoo, they have an ingredient in it that is the same ingredient used to clean people's floors. You wouldn't think they put that in baby soap, but they do. My 14 month old had cradle cap when he was younger, and when we took him in to get his hair cut the woman told us about it. We purchased a shampoo called Bonita's Banana Shampoo from www.circle-of-friends.com and his cradle cap went away immediately. You can also buy all natural shampoos, but make sure it is tearless so it doesn't burn her eyes. Good luck!