How to Take Care of Your Baby’s Scalp and Hair

It’s inevitable that newborns are affected by some sort of scalp irritation. These conditions are usually mild and don’t pose health threats, but can be ascetically uncomfortable for both parents and infants. It is however, important to deal with  these problems because they can be pretty unsightly. The first place we see on a baby is usually the face/head area, so we want to keep them looking nice and clean.

Cradle cap

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I suppose all babies have this at one time or the other. My kids only had mild cradle cap, but I wanted to get rid of it as fast as I possibly could. One of my cousin’s daughters had it even after she started school. This problem causes no discomfort to the child, so take time in treating it. It will go away eventually if you keep at it.

First of all, apply some olive oil to affected areas and very gently massage in. Baby oil is supposed to work too, but has never done the job for me. Leave this overnight and follow up by washing baby’s scalp the next day with warm water. You don’t need to bathe him/her to do this. Just carefully follow your safe routine for general hair washing.

If you like, a wet cotton wool with a drop of baby shampoo will do the job just as well. Don’t peel off cradle cap or rub it too hard. You don’t want to run the risk of infecting the soft skin on your baby’s scalp. Repeat this process for the next 4 or 5 days and the cradle cap should be history. Remember that the follow-up wash is equally as important as the application of olive oil.

Head lice

Your first child shouldn’t be afflicted with head lice, however if your baby is in contact with older kids at nursery (or your own kids) who’re carriers, it’s likely he/she will catch them. If you suspect your baby’s infected, look for the nits (baby lice) which attach themselves to the base of the hair.

You obviously cannot use the same chemicals you use on older children’s heads. However, you can choose to remove lice and nits with a special lice comb, then do the following:

• Wet baby’s hair. 
• Part the hair in small sections. 
• Use lice/nit comb to comb through each section from root to tip, paying keen attention to the nice, warm bits behind the ears. 
• Wipe the comb on a piece of kitchen towel after every stroke and discard when finished. 
• Wash hair. 
• If your baby is very young, and his/her hair is thin, you can carefully remove the nits (eggs which will hatch into lice) with your fingers while  the hair is wet. Repeat every day for  a week.  If problem persists, ask your health nurse for further advice.

Dandruff

Dandruff is another condition which affects small babies, especially those with dry skin. It never needs medical intervention unless it comes with red rashes or red patches of itchy skin. To get rid of dandruff, try massaging baby’s head with warm baby oil. You can place the bottle (or a small amount of oil in a small jar) in a bowl of hot water. Test the oil to make sure it’s not much hotter than room temperature.

After you’ve done the above, wrap baby’s head with a towel previously soaked in warm water. The towel should be wet and warm (like the one used on your face during beauty treatments) not hot. Leave it in for as long as your child will let you. An hour is enough – if possible. Shampoo as normal.

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