The right treatment
Many babies have skin
changes during the first few months of life. That doesn't always need to
alarm parents. The delicate shell of the little ones first has to adapt to
the new living conditions and environmental influences. However, if
yellowish scales appear, some of which are almost brownish and torment the baby
with itching, this is mostly caused by cradle cap: an early form of neurodermatitis .
Many parents are concerned
with the question of whether to remove this
cradle cap from babies . However, this is not a good idea.
If the baby suffers from the
early form of neurodermatitis, it can be painful for the little one if you
loosen the hard scales and crusts. It can also cause small wounds that
bacteria can penetrate and thus increase inflammation. Under no
circumstances should the scales be removed with hard or pointed objects.
Care for irritated baby skin
The affected, inflamed areas
are primarily cream and oiled . This makes
the flaky skin supple again and relieves itching. The doctor will
recommend appropriate ointments, creams and oils to parents that are tailored
to the sensitive baby skin and that do not irritate it with fragrances or
preservatives.
In more severe case, the pediatrician may prescribe a preparation
containing cortisone to
reduce the inflammation. If the skin is infected, an antibiotic can also
be prescribed.
Parents can also use compresses to cool the flaky areas. This soothes the
itching and soothes the irritated skin a little.
Soft, thin mittens, often
called neurodermatitis gloves, can prevent the scratching attacks from causing
sores and thus worsening the inflammation. It is also important that you
alway keep babies' fingernails short and file the edges of the nails down.
Difference between "cradle cap" and "head
gneiss"
Cradle cap is often mistaken
for another skin condition that often appears fresh after birth: head gneiss . Behind
this, however, is a completely different, much more harmless phenomenon.
Head gneiss can be
recognized by soft,
greasy scales and yellow to yellow-brown skin
adhesions. It usually occurs earlier than cradle cap and can develop as
early as a week after birth. Cradle cap only appears from around the third
month of life.
The causes of head gneiss are not clearly known. It is likely that
the baby's sebum glands are
overactive. The sebum sticks together the flakes of skin, making them firm
and creating a crust. This can smell unpleasant, for example like rancid
butter. But there is no reason to be concerned. Gneiss is a cosmetic
problem, if at all.
It hardly itches, if at all, and usually does not lead to
inflammation. Your child will not whine or cry or try to scratch
them. The soft scales usually recede on their own after a few months. Until
then, the scalp can be cleaned regularly with a mild baby shampoo to remove the
dandruff.
Tip: Place a damp, warm cloth or washcloth on your child's head before or
during the bath. This will soften the crusts and make them easier to rinse
off.
Cradle cap: recognizing the signs
The term “cradle cap” goes
back to the appearance of the crusty areas on the baby's head,
which look like burnt
milk : yellowish scales, some of which are almost
brownish. Contrary to whats you might think, the skin condition has
nothing to do with babies drinking milk. It is not a sign of a milk allergy or lactose intolerance .
Cradle cap is also not atopic dermatitis (atopic eczema ). However,
it often precedes the skin disease and is therefore regarded as an early form of
neurodermatitis.
The scaly crusts initially form on the scalp, but can spread to the face and
body. Most often, cradle cap appears in babies around three to six months
of age. But it can also affects older children or adults.
The course of the disease
At the beginning of a milk
scabbard disease, a red, inflammatory spot forms on the scalp, forehead,
eyebrows or cheeks of the little ones. Cradle cap can also develop in the
hard-to-see area behind the ears, which is why parents should check there regularly
for skin irritations.
Over time, the first crusty flakes appear on the reddened area and fall
off. They are yellow to brownish. Small blisters can also develop on
the inflamed area of the skin, another sign of cradle cap.
The skin disease usually occurs from the third month of life . Once it is there,
it can spread and develop on other parts of the body such as the neck. In
severe cases, the arms and legs are also affected.
Cradle cap can be very itchy, which your baby will signal to you by screaming or
whining. Your child may also try to scratch - sometimes so badly that they
bleed. Since the skin of cradle cap is already inflamed, scratching is
fatal. Because this way bacteria can penetrate the area even more easily
and strengthen it.
Cradle cap: pay attention to the causes
The causes of cradle cap
have not been conclusively clarified. Both the hormonal change after the
birth, a biotin deficiency or
a yeast fungus could
be the cause. Doctors assume that the development of cradle cap is based
on a so-called multifactorial genesis, i.e. the development of a disease with
various factors and causes.
In addition, the genetic
makeup is included as a risk factor: the predisposition to
developing cradle cap is inheritable to a certain extent and is passed on from
parents to their children. If you or older siblings have already had
problems with cradle cap or neurodermatitis, this is considered a risk factor
in the offspring.
Even if the exact causes for the Rash are not
clearly documented, it can still be said with certainty that cradle cap has
nothing to do with allergies or inadequate hygiene.
Cradle cap in adults
In adults, stress is a major risk
factor for cradle cap. Anyone who suffers from the skin disease in
adulthood will notice that the rash comes on in bursts. The trigger for a
flare-up is not infrequently a stressful, exhausting and restless phase of
life. When it calms down again, the flaky areas of skin slowly subside and
heal.
Cradle cap: the path to diagnosis
If your baby develops a skin
change, it is advisable to see the pediatrician. This can clearly rule out
other skin diseases and recommend the right therapy.
The most important clue for
a diagnosis is the complexion with the typical inflamed areas and hard
scales. But there are other indications that will provide certainty upon
examination. Children affected by cradle cap often have deep lines on the
palms of the hands and soles of the feet. The doctor will also examine
whether the baby has torn earlobes, dry, chapped lips or a double fold in the lower eyelid ,
the so-called "Dennie Morgan sign".
In addition, a family history provides information. The doctor will ask
whether you, as the parent, had cradle cap or eczema, or whether older siblings
struggled with them. Both skin conditions are hereditary to some extent. @read more:-