Cradle Cap on Two Year Old?

My son will be 3 in March. As long as we use a dandruff shampoo we do fine. When we don't use it, he gets what looks like cradle cap. We just use the wal-mart brand one.

My 4 month old had cradle cap and my doctor told me to use Selsan Blue or any dandruff shampoo. She said that it is a form of dandruff. I just bought the Wal-Mart brand and it helped. Just be very careful to not get it in her eyes.

Arbonne has a skin conditioning oil that is natural and works great on cradle cap, extra dry skin, eczema etc.
there is also a line specifically made for babies and young children (also great for adults with highly sensitive skin)
respond, if you'd like me to connect you.

The lady who cut my hair last told me that this is because of not washing hair 'good enough'.
She actually told us that head and shoulders was a good shampoo to use - first time I've had a hairdresser NOT try to sell me a salon product, but anyway.
Try head and shoulders and also try this: wash first time and really work her scalp. Scrub, obviuosly not too hard because you don't want to scratch her head or anything, but you want to loosen the oils and dead skin on her scalp and in her hair. Rinse and then wash her hair again.
This is what we were told by the lady that cut my hair. She said you should wash your hair twice because the first time is to loosen up the oils and dead skin on your scalp and in your hair and the second time to make sure it is clean.

My daughter had this. I took her to her pediatrician. It is something like cradle cap. She suggested a small amount of dandruff shampoo, but if that didn't work she gave me a prescription sample. I tried the dandruff shampoo and it worked, but my daughter hated getting her hair washed. So I was afraid of getting the shampoo in her eyes. I ending up using the prescription stuff which you put right on the scaly area. It worked faster.

Our daughter had this as a newborn and still has it but not as bad. Anyway, the pediatrician told us to oil her head about 30 minutes before bath time to loosen the skin and to use Selson Blue shampoo twice a week. Scrub her head when you wash it and come her hair a couple times a day.

Cod liver oil. My 2nd child had red flaky skin at birth that immediatley cleared up when I started giving him cod liver oil (available at Walgreens). Just give tiny drops from a dropper in his mouth.

The suggestions you have so far will help get it off her head. But you probably want to know WHY it is there and how to PREVENT it from returning. Very commonly it is due to an essential fatty acid deficiency - omega 3's. Easiest solution: give her a little cod liver oil every day (especially in the winter). Works like a charm! Also helps with that dry bumpy skin on the backs of their upper arms...

This could be psoriasis. You might want to check with a dermatologist. There are over-the-counter shampoos you can start with, but I only know of the ones I use, which may not be suitable for a 2 year old. Good luck!

I've seen this before and I think the easiest thing to do is gently scrape it off with your fingernails or a comb; some kids even find it soothing, because the scalp is so sensitive.

You can try rubbing a little bit of baby oil into the scalp and then combing her scalp with a fine-tooth comb or even a "nit" comb. Shampoo after. Her hair will be oily but the scalp should be clearer. My daughter had this for quite a long time. It eventually just went away. Try not to worry or "pick" at it since it is likely harmless and doesn't bother her as much at all (it just bothers us as moms :)

My son had the exact same thing. It started as cradle cap as an infant but never went away and just got worse and worse. It was horible and thick. I would try to comb it out, use oil on it to soften and loosen it before I shampooed his head, but nothing helped. His pediatrician even recommended I use a dandruff shampoo on him (which I didn't). One day I had him at Kid's Hair for a haircut and mentioned it. They told it was because of the shampoo I was using (Johnson's Baby Shampoo) and recommended using a shampoo they carry in house (Cry No More). I have always been leery of the extra $$ for salon shampoos, but it worked great. The scalp healed in 2 weeks and we have had no problems since then (3 years later).

Could be cradle cap, could be excema, could be psoriasis...But for any of these, I think a couple things will work. Salther the scalp with Aquaphor (that stuff is magic and so simple) and get some Burt Bees shampoo (grapefruit & sugarbeet) and conditioner. Then, over the next couple days, each time you wash hair, gently massage the scalp with a soft brush (a toothbrush works fine). The scaly stuff starts to loosen up immedately though it can take seveal washes to remove all the layers (not the mention the Aquaphor). Good luck - This will be tough to tackle in dry winter weather.

I was going to post a similar question today! My 2 1/2 year old daughter still has cradle cap as well. I feel like I tried everything when she was a baby, but it's still there. Her pediatrician did recommend dandruff shampoo which I did not try since she is not a fan of getting her hair washed, I didn't want it to get in her eyes. I just bought some Burt's Bees shampoo, and from reading others responses, I'm hoping that works.

If it's a one time thing, try soaking the scalp in oil (baby oil with aloe works great) comb the hair in various directions and then shampoo once. the oil softens it, the combing loosens it and then wash it out. Only do one thurough shampoo though or it may irritate the scalp too much and hair will be oily for a couple shampoos. You may need to do the oil/comb/shampoo thing a couple days in a row. Worked great for both of my kids and friends kids of various ages.

Good Luck

Yeah, 2-yr-olds can still get cradle cap. I use baby oil on my daughter's head in the bathtub to moisturize her scalp, then I use an old toothbrush to try and brush it off. It works pretty well, but it still comes back. I've also heard you could use water and baking soda (?). Good luck.

I used this stuff that says it is for cradle cap. It is made by gentle naturals. I got it at Target. It has a baby Winnie the Pooh and Eyeore on it. Anyway, you rub some of this stuff on while they are in the tub and then you gently scrub it with a really soft brush--like an infant brush that you find at the store. I did this 3 times and my daughter's scalp was all better. I still used it a few times after that just to make sure that everything was gone--but for me, this stuff really works. The bottle was I think about 8 bucks but boy was it worth it because she was starting to loose her hair because of it. Hope this helps.

My friends daughter, who is 4, has that right now. She went to the doc and he told her to put cortizone on her head. DON"T DO IT. (Read below.) So, she went to a natural-path who did a computer testing on her and has her on some products to clean up her insides. Our bodies show signs such as scaling, rashes, acne, etc. because it is having trouble on the inside. But her scalp has improves tons since she started this. She's only been doing it for about 2 or 3 weeks now but they are extremely happy with the results as of yet.

Whatever you do, don't put cortizone (sp?) on her head. I was talking to a lady I know and her co-workers' son is now sterile from using that as a teen! So now this young man and his wife can not have children....

My daughter had cradle cap for the first time last winter when she was about 18 mos. I used the Mustela foam shampoo for newborns on her (even though she wasn't a newborn) on recommendation of a mamasource mom. It cleared up the cradle cap right away. It's a little pricey, but I'm still using the same bottle a year later. Be sure to leave the shampoo on for a couple of minutes before rinsing it so that it has time to work on the build-up on your daughter's scalp.

My daughter had HORRIBLE dandruff out of the blue when she was just over 2. The pediatrician said I should use Selsun Blue shampoo but I felt weird about that. LATER I discovered it could be allergy-related (especially a milk allergy) AND also that my daughter has hyper-sensitive skin and we basically have to lather her skin up in high-powered lotion twice a day to keep it in control; the dandruff was just another part of it. SO, consider an allergy possibility. Try some dandruff shampoo, and look to see if any other parts of her body seem bumpy or flaky or dry. Good luck!

I know a young girl who has this; her mother says the doctor called it Seborrheic eczema (see section below on seborrheic eczema). Her mother bought a very specific shampoo and some type of conditioner/lotion. I think the mother told me she puts something in her daughter's hair/on her scalp every day? I could be mistaken. The daughter is seven and has had this since she was a baby (started with cradle cap and just never went away).

If interested, contact me and I will try to find out the name of the shampoo and lotion.

www.medicinenet.com

What is eczema?
Eczema is a general term for many types of skin inflammation, also known as dermatitis. The most common form of eczema is atopic dermatitis (some people use these two terms interchangeably). However, there are many different forms of eczema.
Eczema can affect people of any age, although the condition is most common in infants. Eczema will permanently resolve by age 3 in about half of affected infants. In others, the condition tends to recur throughout life. People with eczema often have a family history of the condition or a family history of other allergic conditions, such as asthma or hay fever. Up to 20% of children and 1%-2% of adults are believed to have eczema.
What are the causes of eczema?
Doctors do not know the exact cause of eczema, but an abnormal function of the immune system is believed to be a factor. Some forms of eczema can be triggered by substances that come in contact with the skin, such as soaps, cosmetics, clothing, detergents, jewelry, or sweat. Environmental allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) may also cause outbreaks of eczema. Changes in temperature or humidity, or even psychological stress, for some people lead to outbreaks of eczema.
What are the symptoms of eczema?
Eczema most commonly causes dry, reddened skin that itches or burns, although the appearance of eczema varies from person to person and varies according to the specific type of eczema. Intense itching is generally the first symptom in most people with eczema. Sometimes, eczema may lead to blisters and oozing lesions, but eczema can also result in dry and scaly skin. Repeated scratching may lead to thickened, crusty skin.
While any region of the body may be affected by eczema, in children and adults, eczema typically occurs on the face, neck, and the insides of the elbows, knees, and ankles. In infants, eczema typically occurs on the forehead, cheeks, forearms, legs, scalp, and neck.
Eczema can sometimes occur as a brief reaction that only leads to symptoms for a few hours or days, but in other cases, the symptoms persist over a longer time and are referred to as chronic dermatitis.
What are the different types of eczema?
Atopic dermatitis is the most common of the many types of eczema, and sometimes people use the two terms interchangeably. But there are many terms used to describe specific forms of eczema that may have very similar symptoms to atopic dermatitis. These are listed and briefly described below.
Atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin disease characterized by itchy, inflamed skin. Atopic dermatitis is believed to be caused by an abnormal function of the body's immune system. The condition tends to come and go, depending upon exposures to triggers or causative factors. The most common form of eczema, atopic dermatitis, affects about 10% of infants and 3% of adults in the U.S. Around two-thirds of those who develop the condition do so prior to age 1. When the disease starts in infancy, it is sometimes termed infantile eczema. Atopic dermatitis tends to run in families, and people who develop the condition often have a family history of allergic conditions such as asthma or hay fever.
Contact eczema
Contact eczema (contact dermatitis) is a localized reaction that includes redness, itching, and burning where the skin has come into contact with an allergen (an allergy-causing substance to which an individual is sensitized) or with a general irritant such as an acid, a cleaning agent, or other chemical. Other examples of contact eczema include reactions to laundry detergents, nickel (present in jewelry), cosmetics, fabrics, clothing, and perfume. Due to the vast number of substances with which individuals have contact, it can be difficult to determine the trigger for contact dermatitis. The condition is sometimes referred to as allergic contact eczema (allergic contact dermatitis) if the trigger is an allergen and irritant contact eczema (irritant contact dermatitis) if the trigger is an irritant. Skin reactions to poison ivy and poison sumac are examples of allergic contact eczema. People who have a history of allergies have an increased risk for developing contact eczema.
Seborrheic eczema
Seborrheic eczema (seborrheic dermatitis) is a form of skin inflammation of unknown cause. The signs and symptoms of seborrheic eczema include yellowish, oily, scaly patches of skin on the scalp, face, and occasionally other parts of the body. Dandruff and "cradle cap" in infants are examples of seborrheic eczema. It is commonplace for seborrheic dermatitis to inflame the face at the creases of the cheeks and/or the nasal folds. Seborrheic dermatitis is not necessarily associated with itching. This condition tends to run in families. Emotional stress, oily skin, infrequent shampooing, and weather conditions may all increase a person's risk of developing seborrheic eczema. One type of seborrheic eczema is also common in people with AIDS.
Nummular eczema
Nummular eczema (nummular dermatitis) is characterized by coin-shaped patches of irritated skin—most commonly located on the arms, back, buttocks, and lower legs—that may be crusted, scaling, and extremely itchy. This form of eczema is relatively uncommon and occurs most frequently in elderly men. Nummular eczema is usually a chronic condition. A personal or family history of atopic dermatitis, asthma, or allergies increases the risk of developing the condition.
Neurodermatitis
Neurodermatitis, also known as lichen simplex chronicus, is a chronic skin inflammation caused by a scratch-itch cycle that begins with a localized itch (such as an insect bite) that becomes intensely irritated when scratched. Women are more commonly affected by neurodermatitis than men, and the condition is most frequent in people aged 20-50. This form of eczema results in scaly patches of skin on the head, lower legs, wrists, or forearms. Over time, the skin can become thickened and leathery. Stress can exacerbate the symptoms of neurodermatitis.
Stasis dermatitis
Stasis dermatitis is a skin irritation on the lower legs, generally related to the circulatory problem known as venous insufficiency, in which the function of the valves within the veins has been compromised. Stasis dermatitis occurs almost exclusively in middle-aged and elderly people, with approximately 6%-7% of the population over age 50 being affected by the condition. The risk of developing stasis dermatitis increases with advancing age. Symptoms include itching and/or reddish-brown discoloration of the skin on one or both legs. Progression of the condition can lead to the blistering, oozing skin lesions seen with other forms of eczema, and ulcers may develop in affected areas. The chronic circulatory problems lead to an increase in fluid buildup (edema) in the legs. Stasis dermatitis has also been referred to as varicose eczema.
Dyshidrotic eczema
Dyshidrotic eczema (dyshidrotic dermatitis) is an irritation of the skin on the palms of hands and soles of the feet characterized by clear, deep blisters that itch and burn. The cause of dyshidrotic eczema is unknown. Dyshidrotic eczema is also known as vesicular palmoplantar dermatitis, dyshidrosis, or pompholyx. This form of eczema occurs in up to 20% of people with hand eczema and is more common during the spring and summer months and in warmer climates. Males and females are equally affected, and the condition can occur in people of any age.
How is eczema diagnosed?
To diagnose eczema, doctors rely on a thorough physical examination of the skin as well as the patient's account of the history of the condition. In particular, the doctor will ask when the condition appeared, if the condition is associated with any changes in environment or contact with certain materials, and whether it is aggravated in any specific situations. Eczema may have a similar appearance to other diseases of the skin, so the diagnosis is not always simple. In some cases, a biopsy of the skin may be taken in order to rule out other skin diseases that may be producing signs and symptoms similar to eczema. If a doctor suspects that a patient has allergic contact dermatitis, allergy tests, possibly including a skin "patch test," may be carried out in an attempt to identify the specific trigger of the condition.
There are no laboratory or blood tests that can be used to establish the diagnosis of eczema.
What is the treatment for eczema?
The goals for the treatment of eczema are to prevent itching, inflammation, and worsening of the condition. Treatment of eczema may involve both lifestyle changes and the use of medications. Treatment is always based upon an individual's age, overall health status, and the type and severity of the condition.
Keeping the skin well hydrated through the application of creams or ointments (with a low water and high oil content) as well as avoiding over-bathing is an important step in treatment. Lifestyle modifications to avoid triggers for the condition are also recommended.
Corticosteroid creams are sometimes prescribed to decrease the inflammatory reaction in the skin. These may be mild-, medium-, or high-potency corticosteroid creams depending upon the severity of the symptoms. If itching is severe, oral antihistamines may be prescribed. To control itching, the sedative type antihistamine drugs (for example, diphenhydramine [Benadryl], hydroxyzine [Atarax, Vistaril], and cyproheptadine) appear to be most effective.
In some cases, a short course of oral corticosteroids (such as prednisone) is prescribed to control an acute outbreak of eczema, although their long-term use is discouraged in the treatment of this non life-threatening condition because of unpleasant and potentially harmful side effects. The oral immunosuppressant drug cyclosporine has also been used to treat some cases of eczema. Ultraviolet light therapy (phototherapy) is another treatment option for some people with eczema.
Finally, two topical (cream) medications have been approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of eczema: tacrolimus (Protopic) and pimecrolimus (Elidel). These drugs belong to a class of immune suppressant drugs known as calcineurin inhibitors. In 2005, the FDA issued a warning about the use of these drugs, citing studies in animals that showed a possible association between use of these drugs and the development of certain types of cancer. It is recommended that these drugs only be used as second-line therapy for cases that are unresponsive to other forms of treatment, and that their use be limited to short time periods, and the minimum time periods needed to control symptoms. Use of these drugs should also be limited in people who have compromised immune systems.
Last Editorial Review: 2/11/2008

I would stay away from dandruff shampoos or perscriptions. Start with a natural product that doesn't have mineral oil and see if that helps first. We use Arbonne products at our house and since switching none of my kids get that anymore. Let me know if you'd like to try any.

N.

My son also had the same thing and I tried what I thought was everything. My last resort was changing to an all natural shampoo for him - Burts Bees. It doesn't have SLS in it and I really think that is what was causing his cradle cap since it is such a harsh chemical. We haven't had a problem with his scalp in over a year.