Cradle Cap: Harmless, But Care Needed

September 7, 2008

A mother falls in love with her child not only after it is born. Rather, she forms a fondness with the child long time before it comes to the world. This becomes clear from the care she takes during the whole period of her pregnancy. If a mother cares so much for her child even before its birth then the depth of her love for the neonate can easily be imagined.

Probably because of this love, mother of a newborn seems to be on pins and needles just seeing even a harmless thing like cradle cap on the body of her child. Medically termed as infantile seborrheic dermatitis, cradle cap is a common skin condition that inflicts a number of infants nowadays. Research shows that it develops through the secretion of excessive oil by the sebaceous glands that cause inflammation of the skin.

So far, dermatologists have not pinpointed any one particular reason for its eruption. However, lack of fatty acids, over activity of the sebaceous glands and failure of the infants skin cells to shed properly are some of the reasons generally held responsible for Cradle cap. Normally, this skin condition appears on the head and near the eras. It shares a similarity with dandruff, and varies from child to child. It has mild versions like a dry flaky scalp as it has serious ones in the form of a thick yellow waxy crust on the scalp.

The serious type of Cradle cap may spread to the face, neck, ears, chest, and so on. It is true that there is no risk of the ailment getting a contagious form and is free from any harmful side effects, it is necessary to take care and be cautious. To avoid spreading it to other parts of the body, it is always advised to go for instant and effective solution. Using mild shampoo on a regular basis is suggested as the best method of curing cradle cap.

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