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Is it normal for a 4 month old to have an itchy scalp?

Dr Kamlendar Singh
Senior Consultant, Dermatology and Venereology,
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi

Q: My son is 4 months old, is healthy and weighs approximately just more than 7 kilos. The problem is that there has been constant itching on his head. He tends to scratch his head because of which there are dry flakes that get formed on his head. We have been applying sesame oil, Johnson's baby oil and also tried Johnson's baby shampoo. We even sought advise from a pediatrician and he has diagnosed it as some sort of an allergy but did not advise any medicine. Please also note that his diet is healthy and there are no other issues. Please advise me if there is some sort of shampoo/anything natural that can be used for this? We are planning to use paste from Neem leaves tomorrow in the morning.

A:Most probably your son has the so called cradle cap. Wash his scalp daily with Cetrilak 5% lotion. If there is no response, consult a dermatologist.