Self-Care Guidelines
Cradle cap is easily treated; start by trying to gently remove some of the scale and flakiness by giving the baby a warm bath with gentle baby shampoo. If this is not sufficient, try loosening the scale before bath time by applying a bland oil, such as mineral oil, massaging it in and carefully combing and shampooing it out at bath time. Finally, you may try a shampoo designed for dandruff in adults, such as one with salicylic acid or selenium sulfide, although you should discuss this with your baby's doctor before attempting it if the baby is younger than 3 months. Additionally, if you do try adult dandruff shampoo on the baby, be very careful to not get any shampoo in his/her eyes.
When to Seek Medical Care
You should see your child's doctor if the cradle cap does not improve with the self-care measures described above. Be sure to call the doctor if the cradle cap looks red, oozes, has excessive crusting, or if the baby has fever coupled with the previously described symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms
