Itchy cradle cap. Help!

[JTA Mom]

Ds2 has much stronger cradle cap than ds1 did. I'm using jojoba oil every few days and lifting the scales off with a washcloth. This works incredibly well at dissolving the scales, but, unlike with ds1, the cradle cap is not going away.

Also, at the back of his head, where the 'swirl' is, and where the cradle cap is pretty bad, he has what looks like red bumps. And they itch. When he nurses, he will lift his arm up there and scratch at it. If his nails are even just a touch long, he will scratch until it bleeds. When he's not scratching, the bumps are still there but not red. When he's sleeping he will also move his head back and forth really quickly in an effort to 'scratch' it.

His Pedi told us to use hydrocortizone, but I don't want to put a steroid on my baby. He's only 4 mos old! I bathe him around once a week, so it's not too much 'stripping' of his skin. I noticed he was breaking out when I used the Johnson No tear shampoo, so I stopped using that.

It's only on his head, too.

What can I do?

Ami

[acupuncturemomma]

Have you tried using coconut oil? It has anti-fungal properties, so might work better than the jojoba oil.

Also, my friend's baby had similar-sounding, itchy bumps on the head and California Baby calendula cream worked wonders for them.

[homemademom]

My dd's cradle cap only cleared when I cut dairy from my diet. Turns out, it was an allergic response (like eczema often is).  My friend just went through the same with her 6 mth old baby. He had horrible bleeding cradle cap on his head, and two weeks after going dairy-free, his head is beautiful and clear. A food sensitivity might be something to consider if the other methods aren't working.

[lyterae]

Originally Posted by homemademom 

My dd's cradle cap only cleared when I cut dairy from my diet. Turns out, it was an allergic response (like eczema often is).  My friend just went through the same with her 6 mth old baby. He had horrible bleeding cradle cap on his head, and two weeks after going dairy-free, his head is beautiful and clear. A food sensitivity might be something to consider if the other methods aren't working.

 It was corn for my DD.