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Cradle cap care for babies


How to treat cradle cap

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Cradle Cap

Is this your child's symptom?

  • A scaly rash on the scalp that starts in newborns

Symptoms of Cradle Cap

  • Yellow scales and crusts attached to the scalp
  • Occurs in patches
  • Scales can be greasy or dry
  • Not itchy or painful
  • Begins in the first 2 to 6 weeks of life

Cause of Cradle Cap

  • Cradle cap is probably caused by hormones from the mother. These hormones cross the placenta before birth. The hormones cause the oil glands in the skin to become overactive. They then release more oil than normal.
  • Dead skin cells normally fall off. The extra oil causes these cells to "stick" to the skin. These cells form yellow crusts and scales on the scalp.

When to Call for Cradle Cap

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

  • Baby less than 1 month old with tiny water blisters or pimples in a cluster
  • Your child looks or acts very sick

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

  • Baby less than 1 month old with any water blisters or pimples
  • You think your child needs to be seen

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

  • Raw rash behind the ears
  • Rash spreads beyond the scalp
  • Cradle cap gets worse with treatment
  • Cradle cap lasts longer than 12 months
  • You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

  • Mild cradle cap

Seattle Children's Urgent Care Locations

If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

  • Bellevue
  • Everett
  • Federal Way
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Care Advice for Cradle Cap

  1. What You Should Know About Cradle Cap:
    • Cradle cap is a common skin condition of newborns.
    • It's caused by overactive oil glands in the scalp.
    • It's harmless and will go away on its own. But it takes time.
    • Here is some care advice that should help.
  2. Shampoo Daily:
    • Wash the hair with an anti-dandruff shampoo (such as Head and Shoulders). Do this twice a week. No prescription is needed. Note: The daily use of anti-dandruff shampoo isn't approved until after 2 years old. But, using it twice a week is fine.
    • On the other days, wash the hair with baby shampoo.
  3. Scalp Massage:
    • While the hair is lathered, massage the scalp with a soft brush. You can also use a rough washcloth or your fingers for 5 minutes. Don't worry about hurting the soft spot.
  4. Baby Oil:
    • If the scalp has thick crusts (scales), put some baby oil on the scalp. Do this for 15 minutes before shampooing to soften the crusts.
    • Wash all the oil off, however, or it may worsen the cradle cap. (Reason: The oil blocks the oil glands on the baby's scalp.)
    • Do not use olive oil. (Reason: may increase the growth of yeast)
    • Cradle cap lotions for loosening up the scales are also available without a prescription. Apply the lotion 15 minutes before shampooing.
  5. Steroid Cream:
    • If the rash on the scalp is red and irritated, use 1% hydrocortisone cream. An example is Cortaid. No prescription is needed.
    • Put this on once a day.
    • After 1 hour, wash it off with soap and water.
    • Do this for 7 days or less.
  6. Expected Course:
    • Cradle cap will eventually go away on its own between 6 and 12 months of age. Usually, it doesn't cause any symptoms (such as pain or itching).
    • Therefore, treatment is optional. It is mainly done for cosmetic reasons.
    • Shampoos, lotions and brushing will reduce the thickness of the scales. They will usually make them go away sooner.
  7. Return to Child Care:
    • Cradle cap cannot be spread to others.
    • Your child does not need to miss any child care.
  8. Call Your Doctor If:
    • Gets worse with treatment
    • Lasts over 12 months of age
    • You think your child needs to be seen

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Last Reviewed: 12/18/2022

Last Revised: 01/13/2022

Copyright 2000-2022. Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.

How to care for a baby crib? How should they be washed?

Crib care plays an important role in baby's hygiene. Without exception, all items in the nursery must be kept clean. Proper care of the crib ensures that your baby will always be healthy and cheerful, and proper and timely washing will help to avoid not only intestinal and infectious diseases, but also allergic reactions to various detergents. The main care of the crib is to regularly remove dust from all surfaces of this uncomplicated piece of furniture in the children's room. And so, how to wash and with what, and is it worth washing at all? The answer is obvious, it is simply necessary to do it! nine0003

How to wash?

One of the most common methods is washing the bed with plain water without any additives. The method is very good because no detergent remains on the surfaces, because kids love to take various parts of furniture into their mouths and gnaw. For compassionate parents, there are more radical methods. You can add baby or laundry soap to the water. After such washing, it is necessary to ensure that the resulting solution does not remain on the surfaces. To do this, wipe with a damp cloth those parts on which soap could remain. A solution of water and soap has the best antiseptic properties, and your baby will be well protected. nine0003

Make sure that the washing solution does not remain on the bed

It is not advised to use various detergents such as “domestos” for washing baby beds, because no matter how the manufacturers assure you of the safety of these substances, they are too harmful for the paintwork surfaces of the crib and have abundant fumes, and the air in the nursery is extremely important for the baby. After such washing, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the entire crib again with plain water, and be sure to ventilate the room. If you are still not afraid of chemistry, choose special products for washing children's accessories for your crumbs. This is the best option. nine0003

How to wash

In general, the most important thing in washing cribs is not to harm the baby, to wash thoroughly all hard-to-reach places, no matter what dirt or detergent remains. With a damp cloth dipped in the solution described above, wipe all parts of the crib. The most difficult thing will be to do this for the owners of transformer beds. After all these manipulations, you need to thoroughly wash everything with plain water if you used active substances.

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At the end of cleaning, it is advisable to wipe the bed with a wet cloth

Where to put?

Not unimportant role is played by the question of where to put the crib. Incorrect positioning of the crib can harm your baby. Do not put it near heating appliances, the child can overheat! But this is not possible if the temperature in the nursery is less than 18 C. There should be no allergens near the crib - these are books, carpets that may contain dust. Various microbes can hide in house dust, even staphylococci and streptococci. You should not put the bed in the place where there are decorations or clocks on the wall. There should not be any electrical appliances and sockets nearby. Good lighting and visibility will allow your baby to observe everything that happens in the room, because he is so interested in learning about the world. nine0003

Choose your crib carefully

By following these simple rules, you will not only ensure your baby's safety, but also help him develop properly.

which bed to choose for a child?

The crib is the first piece of furniture that is bought for a child. The “correct” model will provide the baby with a healthy deep sleep and make it easier for parents to take care of him. The quality of sleep is of great importance for development, so it is important to approach the choice of a child's bed consciously. What matters is the environmental friendliness and safety of materials, the size and strength of the structure, as well as functionality and design. nine0003

Requirements for children's furniture

Furniture is not one of the items that we change frequently. The convenience of everyday life, the quality of sleep and even our safety depend on it. But children are much more sensitive than adults: they suffer from allergies more often, they have a higher risk of injury. Therefore, when choosing children's furniture, two properties are of key importance: safety and environmental friendliness.

Which baby cots can be considered safe?

  • With safety rails if it is furniture for children under 3 years of age. nine0040
  • With rounded edges, without sharp corners - regardless of age category.
  • Made from non-toxic materials including hypoallergenic dyes.
  • With padding that retains its shape and does not collapse under the weight of the body.
  • Stable, durable models with secure fastenings, no chips or cracks.

Environmentally friendly, safe materials are an important condition when choosing children's furniture. The baby's immunity is still being formed, so a baby and even a schoolboy are more sensitive to volatile compounds in furniture paint and varnish than adults. The safest are children's beds made of natural wood: oak, ash, pine. But also modern manufacturers offer furniture made of plywood, MDF and non-toxic plastic. nine0003

When choosing children's furniture, it will never be superfluous to ask the seller about certificates of conformity and environmental safety. If the production materials comply with international standards, they will be marked E1 and E0.


What should be baby beds

Pediatricians draw parents' attention that good beds for babies must meet 4 requirements:

  • Additional safety features. nine0040
  • Safe, ideally natural materials.
  • Sizes appropriate for baby's weight and height.
  • Complies with health and safety regulations.

Visually, the quality of children's furniture can be assessed by looking at the surface. It should not have protrusions, cracks, crevices and other irregularities, including paint runs. If the design provides for moving parts, they must move freely, without jerking, and the fittings must be strong and reliable. Separately, it is worth evaluating the quality factor of the assembly and the stability of the bed. nine0003

For babies up to 3 years old, a mandatory structural element is the restrictive elements. Not only bunk beds need bumpers and barriers, since the baby risks injury if he falls even from a small height.


Types of baby beds

There are many types of baby furniture on the market. Depending on the design features, classic, modular, roll-out and themed beds are distinguished. However, furniture for children under three years old is classified differently:

  • The cradle or bassinet is the perfect choice for restless babies who can be rocked to sleep. This is a bed that provides a rocking function, sometimes automatic, but the baby can sleep in the cradle only up to a year and a half.
  • Classic crib - similar in design to an adult bed, but reduced in size. This is a good choice from the point of view that you can use a classic crib for up to two years. Some models include a motion sickness mechanism, which makes them universal. nine0040
  • The convertible is the most economical choice as it can be converted from a baby crib into a bed for a toddler.

For children over three years old, there are also bunk models and loft beds. Double furniture is designed for two kids of about the same age. She has a solid frame, a reliable ladder to the second tier and protective sides. "Attic" is a godsend for small apartments and houses where you need to save free space. On the first tier of such a bed there is a table, wardrobe or shelves, and the bed is located above. nine0003


Dimensions and required parameters

When choosing a crib, you need to focus on the baby's age:

  • Children under 1 year old. For babies, cradles or playpens are suitable. It is important for parents to pay attention to the strength of the fasteners and the distance between the bars and the sides. The gaps should be such that the baby could not get between them, but his hands or feet did not get stuck between the bars.
  • Children's beds for ages 3-5. Parents can choose transforming models or classic single beds. This is furniture without sharp corners, but with protective sides that are installed on one or both sides, depending on how the crib is located in the interior. Protective elements are securely fixed. Also, it is for this age that the most themed furniture is produced: in the form of pirate or space ships, fairy-tale castles or cars. nine0040
  • Furniture for school children. When buying furniture for school children, it is important to consider their own tastes and wishes. Also, parents should choose the size of the bed "for growth." A son or daughter will quickly “stretch”, therefore, in order not to have to change furniture every year, you need to select a size with a margin.
  • For two children. Bunk furniture is very popular, but there are also more compact options: superstructure beds. With this configuration, one bed is raised due to the legs, and the second is pulled out from below. During the day, the retractable design allows you to free up more space for games. nine0040


Advantages and disadvantages of baby cots

Bed for babies is lower than for adults, as it is adapted to the height of a girl or a boy. The optimal material is natural wood treated with non-toxic varnish. Since babies do not control their movements in a dream, manufacturers provide bumpers and other protective elements that will prevent injury.

But children's furniture can also have disadvantages: it is sometimes made from short-lived materials, unreliable fittings are selected. Therefore, parents should carefully consider such characteristics of furniture as stability, build quality, main and additional material. nine0003


How to choose the right children's beds

In order for children's furniture to last long enough, it is important to make sure of its quality. To do this, it will not be superfluous to ask the seller for certificates of conformity and other documentary evidence that the furniture meets international standards. Also, so that the furniture does not go into circulation ahead of time, it must correspond to the age of the baby. You should not continue to use the crib if it has become clearly too small and cramped for your son or daughter. And the baby will be uncomfortable, and the furniture will quickly become unusable. nine0003

But the first thing you should pay attention to when buying is safety.

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