Why cradle cap

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
Seattle

Care Advice for Cradle Cap

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Return to Child Care:
- Cradle cap cannot be spread to others.
- Your child does not need to miss any child care.
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: 12/04/2022

Last Revised: 01/13/2022

Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis) in Infants (for Parents)

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

en español Costra láctea (dermatitis seborreica) en los bebés

What Is Cradle Cap?

Cradle cap is the common term for seborrheic dermatitis (seb-eh-REE-ik dur-muh-TYE-tis) of the scalp in infants.

Seborrheic dermatitis, also called seborrhea (seb-eh-REE-uh), can show up:

on the forehead and face
behind the ears
in the diaper area, armpits, and other skin folds and creases

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis)?

Babies can develop seborrheic dermatitis when they're between 2 weeks and 12 months old. It usually starts with cradle cap. A baby with cradle cap will have slightly red scaly or crusty yellow patches on the scalp. It may also start on the face or diaper area and spread to other parts of the body.

Seborrhea looks:

red and moist in skin creases and folds (like the neck and behind the ears)
yellowish with greasy patches or crusts
scaly or flaky

Seborrheic dermatitis might look uncomfortable or irritating to the skin. But it usually isn't itchy and doesn't seem to bother infants.

What Causes Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis)?

The exact cause of cradle cap isn't known. It's likely due to a combination of things. Too much skin oil (sebum) in the oil glands and hair follicles and a type of yeast found on the skin called Malassezia may play roles in the development of seborrheic dermatitis.

How Is Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis) Diagnosed?

Health care professionals can diagnose cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis by the way the skin looks and where the rash is. Babies with seborrheic dermatitis are usually well and the condition should get better on its own or with treatment.

How Is Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis) Treated?

Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis in infants usually clears up on its own in weeks or months. In the meantime, you may want to loosen and remove the scales on your baby's scalp:

Wash your baby's hair once a day with mild, tear-free baby shampoo.
Gently remove scales with a soft brush or toothbrush.
If the scales don't loosen easily, apply a small amount of mineral oil or petroleum jelly to your baby's scalp. Let the oil to soak into the scales for a few minutes to several hours, if needed. Then use a soft brush or toothbrush to remove scales. Shampoo your baby's hair as usual.

If regular shampooing doesn't help, your doctor may recommend a mild steroid cream or antifungal shampoo.

For seborrhea on other parts of the body, your doctor may recommend a mild steroid or antifungal cream.

Do not use over-the-counter steroid or antifungal creams or anti-seborrhea shampoos without checking first with the doctor.

What Else Should I Know?

Sometimes seborrheic dermatitis in the diaper area or skin folds can get infected. Talk to your doctor if the rash gets worse or there are any signs of infection (the skin looks red, starts to drain fluid, or feels warm).

Cradle cap and seborrheic dermatitis in infants usually get better by 12 months of age. Seborrhea may come back around puberty as dandruff.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

Date reviewed: February 2019

Cradle and walk: what to look for?

Hello, hello! As promised, we continue to acquaint you with the characteristics of the ideal stroller. Recall that in the last letter we have already identified the following details that you should pay attention to:

dimensions and dimensions of the stroller and the environment;
chassis strength and lightness;
wheels;
the most comfortable brake system for you;
cushioning mechanism.

Today we will tell you about the most important part, on which the comfort of the baby and his safety depends - the cradle and the walking block.

CARRYCOT

Looking through the endless catalogs of prams for newborns, we came across a huge selection of both classic cradles and innovative transforming prams. About the latter - a little more: the bottom line is that when buying a stroller, two components come at once, attached to the same chassis - a cradle (used from birth to 6-8 months) and a walking block (for kids who are already seated). We opted for just such a model, because it has a huge number of advantages:

saves you time, because you don't have to worry about the stroller anymore;
saves space in the house - one stroller is good, but two - it's already difficult to find a place :)
cradle and walk in the same style - this is especially pleasing to mom!

However, no matter which model you choose, here are some tips for choosing a carrycot:

it should be deep and spacious enough, because in winter a fully equipped baby should not feel cramped because of a narrow carrycot!
take care of your baby's spine - the bottom of the cradle should be flat and firm.
The materials of the cradle must be breathable, and the interior decoration must be made of hypoallergenic and natural materials - after all, in the warm season, the child is in direct contact with them! A word of advice: pay attention to materials that are easy to clean and remember that they must be protected from moisture and wind.
carrycot weight. Yes, this is really important when the mother has just been discharged from the hospital. Remember that in addition to the weight of the cradle itself, there will still be 3-4 kg of pure happiness in it, so take care of your lower back and give preference to lightweight models!
the visor of the stroller should preferably consist of several sections, and not just with two forms - “open” and “closed”. Airflow and ventilation must also be considered.
An important detail - an apron, should not only warm and repel moisture, but also be easily removed for quick access to the baby.

At about 6 months, when the baby is sitting confidently, you can safely switch to a stroller. Here, too, there are a number of tips and tricks:

Many manufacturers write that walking models are used up to 3 years, but from our own experience we will say that a baby closer to 3 years will be bored sitting in a stroller, so on average it will last up to 2 years, then you can switch to lightweight option (for example, a stroller-cane) if necessary. In general, all the requirements are preserved as for the cradle, however, there are a number of features.

The more adjustable parts, the better! The tilt of the back is the first thing you should pay attention to, the child should have a fairly comfortable place to sleep, this is especially important for six-month-old babies. Adjustable footrest, bumper, canopy, block height and handle - this will allow you to perfectly adjust the stroller for both the child and the parents.
safety first! In the walking block there must be MANDATORY seat belts, best of all - five-point with soft inserts, they will carefully fix the baby. The bumper also gives extra protection, and as a bonus, you can hang your favorite rattles on it.
take the time to choose the materials of the walking block. After a lot of testing, we settled on eco-leather (we will tell about its advantages separately later), because the baby begins to explore the world, which means that the criterion "easy to clean" becomes more important :)

CHECK LIST

So, summarizing what has been said, we collect the control check list:

The cradle should be:

light;
breathable;
is quite spacious;
with a flat and hard bottom.

Walking block:

adjustable elements;
ergonomic seat;
strength and stability;
easy to clean materials.

You already know almost everything! Next time we will introduce you to the list of necessary accessories for the stroller, and also share our miracle find - eco-leather material!

putting into the cradle - "Ingushetia" - online newspaper

The cradle is at the same time a children's space. Cradles-cradles are found among many peoples of the world, known for their sedentary agricultural type of management. They made it from different types of trees, but most often from giring (hawthorn). There was a belief that a child who grew up in a hawthorn cradle would be happy.

The Ingush name for the cradle is “aga”, according to an informant from the village of Plievo by R.I. Albogachieva is explained by the merging of two concepts: “ga” (in the Ingush language it means a tree) and the refrain to the lullaby songs “a-a-a”, which sounded while the child was being lulled to sleep in the cradle.

Types of cradles: a rocking cradle, a cradle for field work and a suspension cradle

The cradles were different, but the wooden rocking cradle was considered more stable in the preferences of the Ingush.

The base of the cradle had a hole somewhere in the middle, designed for a container (jar), where urine flowed through special tubes (sips). There were two mattresses. The first one, stuffed with straw for the strength of the sunbed, “chen falti”, was also made with a hole corresponding to the one in the cradle. The second mattress, the top one, consisted of two pillows made of wool. The tube (sip) could be wooden, bone, glass, it varied in shape depending on the gender of the child. Glass began to appear by the end of the twentieth century.

The child in this lullaby always remained dry and tidy. Diapers were not required. It was enough to have soft pieces of cloth cut from any old clothes. The composition of the cradle included "agan ch1i" - a twig for which the swaddling ropes are tied, "aga g1ach" - the handle of the cradle. The baby was swaddled tightly with two dressing belts - “g1oakhkar”, about 20 cm wide.

Relatives from the maternal side prepared such a cradle. Several generations grew up in the same cradle. Usually the child lay in it until he began to walk.

Due to the fact that women spent a lot of time in the fields, at work, they had to take babies with them. For these purposes, there were cradles of a more simplified design. They called them "ts1un". They were simply prepared. They took an ordinary log 70-80 cm long in diameter up to 30 cm, sawed it into 3 parts vertically and got an even base from the middle part. On it, having previously covered it with a sheepskin or a soft cloth, they laid the baby and tied up the “Oashets” (leather ropes). Such a cradle was tied to the shaft of the cart, on which family members went to the field. “Swinging in the cradle, which made the sounds “ts1u-ts1u-ts1u”, the child fell asleep. Perhaps, because of such sounds, the cradle was called “ts1un”. The same cradle could be hung on a strong branch of a tree, because it was timid to leave the cradle on the ground because of various insects and snakes that could be found in the fields. As the child grew up, those two parts that remained from that piece of log - the source material for the cradle were attached to that cradle board (c1un) on the side, and the child was also bandaged in it, R. I. Albogachieva told the author.

Wicker cradles were also known in ancient times. Baskets-cradles made of "ts1uv" wood were woven and hung in the house. Any member of the family could simply push the cradle and it would swing. It was securely fastened to the ceiling.

Cradle ritual

Traditionally, children were placed in a rocking cradle. The laying down was ceremonial in nature. This was a ritual tradition that has survived to this day, but to a lesser extent.

Grandmother (father's mother) led this ceremony. Usually the ritual was accompanied by wishes, such as “Yisha-vosha debade tha, alnnacha t1ehye hiliita tha, Eg1a 1asa ma eshade tha, mag1a aga ma eshade tha” (Let our family multiply and obedient descendants grow, Let the staff stand at the threshold, and in a place of honor the cradle is standing).

The midwife (ber nanilg), paternal and maternal relatives (dakhoy and noankhoy) were informed in advance about the day of putting the child in the cradle. By this time, the child already had a name or received it on the same day. That is, there could be a combination of two important moments of life: naming and laying in a cradle. As a rule, a healthy boy was invited to put the child in the cradle, if the newborn was a boy, and a girl, if a daughter was born, always from prosperous families. Under the strict guidance of an adult woman, a ritual was performed, saying: “Shera kerte koga kadai volash, t1akh aynna volash agara valva” (Let him leave the cradle with good health and cheerful mood in a year). “Aga — chyan shera bera fusama ya” (During the year, the cradle is the home of the child).

The mother of the child, if it was the firstborn, had to memorize the procedure for placing in the cradle. Mothers of many children gave advice to the young mother, such as not to stretch the baby's arms too much while swaddling, otherwise she would stoop; do not put a high pillow under the head, otherwise the neck will be short, pull the legs strongly so that they do not bend, etc. So the Ingush took care of the beauty of his physique. The older generation of women believe that thanks to the cradle, the children had no problems with the musculoskeletal system.

Benefits of the cradle system in care and upbringing

Both from a physiological and educational point of view, it was considered wrong if the child was accustomed to hands. “A child is like a lamb. When the lamb, spoiled by attention, was slaughtered, they saw black spots-dents from numerous human hands. The state of the child is the same when he is always in his arms, ”an informant E. Sh. Shuturova told the author, convincing of the expediency of a cradle for a child. A child has a backache if he is not put in a cradle, they say among different peoples.

No less important was the educational side of the process of putting the child into the cradle. This is his introduction from the first days into the culture in which he will live. “It was with the help of the cradle that the first accustoming to discipline took place, which is necessary in a traditional society, where many aspects of life were sufficiently regulated in accordance with the conditions of life,” writes M.