7 Year Old Has Scalp Issues

sounds like it is all very related to the eczema issue--which is an internal problem that manifests through the skin. Traditional docs treat it as a skin problem, though, and that is what I have done all of my life with creams and such. Fine, maybe for an old fogey like me set in her ways, but creams aren't really an option for the scalp, are they? If I were dealing with my child instead of my self (what mom really pays as much attention to herself as to her children?) I would set out to find some actual solutions to the internal problem. Some key words you might use in combination with "eczema" in a search are "borage oil" (I've recently heard that it was effective against eczema), "essential fatty acids", "lavender" (or maybe some other essential oils, too), or "allergies". I also know that there was another post recently about eczema with a baby that got some good responses. One gave some web links that may be very helpful. Maybe you could find that in the "requests and responses".

I have always had dry scalp, yet greasy hair, i've found that Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shampoo and conditioner work wonders. Now i don't have it quite as bad as what you are explaining with your daughter... but i feel your pain cause my 4 month old has terrible cradle cap and i am currently trying to get rid of that too. But back to the tea tree... you can either get Paul Mitchell or American Crew (which is a man's shampoo but i've used it and like that one too) Tea Tree shampoos & conditioners. You just have to be carefull not to get it in your eyes... it burrrrrns really bad! (thats why i won't try it on my 4 mo old!). Let me know if you try it and if it works :) Good luck!
Oh yeah, i forgot! You can get it at salons pretty much anywhere...

Shampoo with jojoba oil helped me. Also make sure she is getting her omega's. Fish oil, flaxseed oil, cod liver oil.

You've gotten some good responses so far. I'll add that I rarely, if ever, use shampoo on my hair. I have curly hair, and I read a good book several years ago about taking care of curly hair. It recommended to ditch shampoos, and just "wash" your hair with conditioner. Even if your daughter doesn't have curly hair, she may benefit from no shampoo. Many shampoos are actually quite harsh. It sounds gross at first, but "washing" with a conditioner is actually very effective. If I feel like I need something a little more, I make a paste of baking soda and water and run that into my hair--works great!

You could also try coconut oil in cream form. I bought a 7 oz tub at Whole Foods for $5.99, and we use it on everything from my son's diaper rash to my husband's sandpaper feet to my face. One of the suggested uses on the bottle is for dry scalp. Good luck.

Hi S.,
I had something similar, my hair even started falling out. I went and got a prescription shampoo, then joined Melaleuca, which was even better, 14 years later, no problem, no dry skin either.
S.

This might be psoriasis. Take her into a dermatologist. Or could be seborehhic dermatitis (bad dandruff). They can treat this with protopic but....!

Anything in the scalp is just made harder for little girls with their long hair. We treat my son a few different ways:
1.) Don't wash hair every day
2.) Use Burt's Bees shampoo -- or something with no lauryl sulfates (tea tree oil shampoos are ok too but can be a bit intense. Kids' Hair says only use them once/week. Also, make sure there's no peppermint w/the tea tree oil as mint is drying.)
3.) Pray for sunny, humid weather
4.) And when all else fails, massage the affected areas with vasoline/aquaphor. Leave overnight and at next bath session, rub scalp with soft brush (toothbrish works) to looseen the dry stuff and follow up with a comb to get them out. Can take a couple washes to remove the vaso/aquaphor but works like a charm without drugs and chemicals. Again, not ideal for little girls with long hair.

I would start switching shampoos and see if I could get a filter on the shower head for her. I would expect her body would be sensitive to chemicals there in. Also maybe she may be sensitive to some foods in her diet.

My son also has eczema and did have cradle cap, what helped us was using Arbonne Baby products (wash and lotion on the body, wash and baby oil on the scalp). I think it is because it is a more natural line that it worked b/c I have heard that sometimes the chemical dyes or fragrances can cause skin irritations and those ingredients are so present in so many of the washes and lotions. Good luck!

Like others have mentioned, skin problems are a manifestation that something inside the body isn't right. Food allergies and intolerances are manifested big time through the skin, which is one way the body uses to purge itself of "toxins" or "poisons" (which is what the body sees foods as that it can't properly digest). Once you test and find the offending foods her body can't tolerate and take her off them, you should start to see an improvement in her skin condition. You might have to see an alternative doctor, such as an Integration doctor (an actually MD who works in the alternative medicine field) or a natureopathic doctor to get tested, because almost all conventional doctors do not believe that food can make a person sick, or cause skin problems.

Good luck.

S.,
My daughter had dry skin issues and severe cradle cap as a baby. My son had what you are describing on his head for years. When my daughter was 4, we discovered she was lactose intolerant. When she stopped with the milk, her itchy skin went away almost overnight. Around that same time, we thought milk might also be bothering our son so we took him off milk as well - but just for a week or two. Durning that time, the gunk on his scalp went away completely. He has since gone back to drinking milk, but the scalp has stayed clear. There are strong skin connections to milk issues. My advice would be to steer clear of all dairy for a week or two and see what happens. It's an easy fix to try! Good luck.

What shampoo and conditioner are you using on her? Most shampoos contain sodium laurel sulphate (SLS) as the first ingredient. SLS is an extremely harsh chemical and this may be why she has struggled with scalp issues. You may want to try a shampoo without SLS. L'Bri Pure n' Natural makes a great shampoo and conditioner that is SLS free and has aloe vera as the first ingredient, so it's extremely soothing and conditioning for the scalp. It smells great and is very reasonably priced. Check it out at suenelson.lbri.com.

Hi there,
I think your daughter may have psoriasis. Mine started on my scalp when I was about 14 and what you are describing is exactly what I went through. Get a good dermatologist now and make sure he/she is an expert in psoriasis. I don't know where you live but I would start with Metropolitan Dermatology in Wayzata. I hope that she doesn't have it as bad as I do. It has been a struggle my whole life. Luckily there are so many new drugs out that work and don't have side effects. I would be happy to talk to you about it if you ever need to. I am kind of an expert since I have dealt with it for 20 years.

Try the baby Shampoo from SHAKLEE. Shaklee is an online health and wellness comapny that is over 50 years old and all natural since it's orign. I have had several friends who have requested this product from me for CradleCap and it is just a nice, natural product that can't hurt to try. it is about $8.00 for the bottle. Many times dry scalp is just a sign of overuse of product. Shaklee also has a Sclap treatment product that might be a good place to start to recondition the scalp. Respond back if you want my direct link to Shaklee or if you have other questions I might be able to answer.

Hi S., I hate to say this but it sounds more like psoriasis than cradle cap.
My mom has had horrible psoriasis for 15 years. She took every prescription and natural remedy available and itched until she thought she would go crazy. She started taking a niacin supplement for a different symptom and her psoriasis completely disappeared!
My advice would be to take your daughter to a chiropractor or natropathic doctor. They will help you get to the root of the symptoms.
ALSO, I have to use natural shampoos. My scalp bleeds from using shampoos from Wal-Mart or Target. I also use a fish oil supplement to keep my scalp from getting super dry.
I hope this helps! And I hope your daughter gets some relief!

Hello,

There is a product out there that will help with this skin condition. It's call Miracle II. You can find it on ebay. There are no harsh chemicals either. You will notice a difference in a short amount of time. Just make sure to get rid of all the other shampoos, lotions and body washes you have been using on her. Keep me updated.

D.
Lakeville, MN