Seborrhea is a skin disease characterized by the formation of whitish dots on the scalp, face, and body. The disease can be triggered by disruption of the sebaceous glands, hormonal imbalance, weakened immune system. Seborrhea on the head of a child is diagnosed at different ages. As a rule, its signs occur in infants and adolescents during puberty.
Reasons
If we take into account the statistical data, then the conclusion follows that children of any age group can face seborrhea. The main provoking factor is the failure of the hormonal system. The most dangerous period is puberty (12-16 years). Violation of the sebaceous glands may be due to:
- Puberty. At the age of 12-16, hormonal changes in the body occur.
- Congenital disorders of hormone production.
- Mental illness: schizophrenia, epilepsy etc.
- Long-term use of certain medications: anabolic steroids, glucocorticosteroids, testosterone.
- Hereditary factor. Often the causes of seborrhea of the scalp in children are associated with a genetic predisposition.
The following factors can provoke seborrheic dermatitis in newborns:
- Sweating. Many new parents make a common mistake. They wrap children when it is not necessary. Against the background of overheating, the baby has skin problems.
- Incorrectly balanced diet of a mother who breastfeeds her baby. Using cosmetics with additives that provoke an allergic reaction.
Pathogenic action is also characteristic of yeast-like fungi Pityrosporum ovale. Under the influence of the above factors, their increased activity and reproduction are observed. Against the background of increased production of sebum, the amount of Pityrosporum ovale increases. In order to prevent seborrhea of the scalp in a child (pictured above), you need to consider what causes it and monitor his he alth during potentially dangerous periods (during hormonal changes, at the time of treatment with certain medications).
Symptomatics
It is not always possible to immediately recognize the disease, since the clinical picture of the disease is identical to the symptoms of other skin pathologies. Often, parents confuse seborrhea on the head of a child (pictured) with dandruff. As a result, the disease takes on a neglected form,treatment which can last more than one month. It should be borne in mind that children's seborrhea is characterized by increased production of sebum and a change in its composition. Among the main symptoms of seborrhea on the head of a child are:
- thickening of the stratum corneum;
- shine skin;
- flaking;
- itchy skin;
- hair loss and weakening;
- dandruff.
The main sign of seborrhea of the scalp is greasy yellow scaly crusts. You can find them not only in the head area, they often cover places behind the ears, inguinal folds, bends of the arms and legs. If the disease is advanced, the child may develop a number of other uncharacteristic symptoms. The baby has loss of appetite, anemia, stool disorder. Against the background of weakened immunity and insufficient care, the addition of an infection is not excluded. In this case, the symptoms of seborrhea will be more pronounced. It will also require long-term treatment.
Important! Many parents often confuse a healing fontanel in a child, on the surface of which a crust appears, with seborrhea. If there is any doubt about the diagnosis, you should consult a pediatrician about this.
Classification
Depending on what caused the malfunction of the sebaceous glands, and the symptoms of the disease, the pathology is divided into three types.
Oily seborrhea. The main causes of oily seborrhea on the head of a child are associated with vegetative neurosis, hormonal changes in the body. A disease that occurs in this form can manifest itself in the following signs:
- hair loss;
- the appearance of blackheads, acne;
- oily sheen on the skin of the face.
Dry seborrhea. The causes of this type of seborrhea include reduced sebum secretion against the background of a weakened immune system, malnutrition, intense sports and excessive emotional stress. Typical symptoms include:
- scales of dandruff on the head;
- peeling on the face;
- dry and brittle hair.
Mixed seborrhea. With a mixed form of seborrhea, symptoms of an oily and dry type can be observed. If the disease is provoked by a malfunction of the sebaceous glands and an inflammatory process is observed, the doctor will diagnose seborrheic dermatitis.
Diagnosis
Treatment of seborrhea in children on the head should be carried out under the supervision of a pediatrician. When the first signs of this disease appear, you should immediately contact the doctors. To make a final diagnosis, the doctor will ask the parents what factors could provoke the disease. In addition, you will need to pass a number of specific tests. When the final diagnosis is made, the doctor will draw up a treatment regimen for seborrhea, which may include the use of medicines and folk remedies.
Possible Complications
If you do not carry out timely treatment of seborrhea in children on the head, the disease can develop into a neglected form. Uncleaned sebaceous ducts will interfere with normal metabolism. They will accumulate deposits, woundwill grow in size and begin to rot, resulting in hard ulcers that will require antibiotics to get rid of.
Treatment
Before starting the treatment of seborrhea of the child's scalp, it is necessary to examine and make sure that there are no mechanical damage and signs of infection on the skin. If during the examination inflammatory spots, pustules and pustules were found, an urgent need to consult a doctor. In the fight against seborrhea, you can use a hypoallergenic shampoo and water. To remove crusts from the surface of the skin, you need to thoroughly wash your hair. You should not tear off dead areas with nails, as this can lead to the appearance of microcracks, which will become the entrance gates of infection. If this happens, the doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics and injections of B vitamins, ascorbic acid.
As for antifungal drugs, they are contraindicated for children aged 4-5 years. For enteral use may be prescribed:
- fungicidal preparations (come into the fight against pathogenic fungi);
- vitamins and fortifying drugs;
- biogenic stimulants;
- sedatives (in the case of neurosis and increased irritability).
For external use can be used:
- shampoos containing zinc and antifungal agents;
- Vidal's milk;
- sulsen soap;
- sulfur ointment;
- vegetable oil.
The therapeutic effect is observed from complex treatment involvingphysiotherapy procedures. As the latter fit:
- darsonvalization;
- cryomassage;
- ozone therapy.
Shampoos and creams
For the treatment of seborrhea on the head of a child of 5 years old, you can use the following shampoos and creams:
- Keto Plus. Shampoo with antifungal effect, the list of components of which contains zinc and ketoconazole. With it, you can remove peeling and itching, normalize the function of the sebaceous glands. The substances included in the shampoo inhibit the reproduction of dermatophytes.
- "Dermazol". The product is presented in the form of a cream and shampoo. It has an antifungal effect. With prolonged use, androgen synthesis decreases. The course of treatment is 2-4 weeks.
- "Skin Cap" is a dermatoprotective agent. Available in the form of shampoo, cream, aerosol. It has antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. This remedy can also be used for children from 12 months.
Folk remedies
If there is seborrhea of the scalp in children 2-3 years old, 15 minutes before bathing, places with peeling should be treated with natural warm vegetable oil. A ready-made children's cosmetic product or olive oil is suitable. The same procedure must be carried out for a newborn baby. While bathing, it is recommended to add herbal infusions and decoctions to the bath. Hop cones, oak bark, tansy, chamomile can be used as raw materials.
For older children (5-10 years old) suitablespecial anti-dandruff shampoos. The therapeutic effect is observed when washing the head with laundry soap. With seborrhea of the scalp, diluted aloe juice, castor oil, and an egg should be rubbed into the skin. For the treatment of seborrhea in adolescents, cleansers and shampoos with a more powerful effect can be used. A mixture of onion juice, vodka and castor oil gives an excellent result. All components are taken in equal proportions (2 tablespoons each). Rub into the skin an hour before water procedures.
Seborrhea of the head in children is not considered a dangerous disease, but it needs timely and complex therapy. To protect the child from this disease, it is necessary to prevent the influence of provoking factors.
Diet
In addition to treatment with special preparations, attention must also be paid to a balanced diet. The menu should contain fresh fruits, vegetables, foods rich in fiber, dairy products. At the time of therapy, you should not give the child s alty, fatty and spicy foods. It is also necessary to follow the principles of proper nutrition in order to prevent seborrhea.
Who should I contact?
If parents suspect that their child has seborrhea, they should definitely contact the doctors. In the case of a newborn, a visit to the local pediatrician will be required. An older child can be taken to a dermatologist.
Preventive measures
To exclude seborrhea of the scalp in children, you need to control the work of the sebaceous glands. First of all, it is necessary to provide the skinand appropriate hair care. If a child suffers from one of the diseases that provoke seborrhea, it is necessary to treat them in time. It is also important not to overdose drugs that contain testosterone, progesterone, etc.
To strengthen the child's immune system, it is necessary to take a course of vitamin therapy. Do not wrap your baby in warm clothes unless necessary, as this will lead to excessive sweating.
If a woman is breastfeeding, she should remove high-fat foods from her diet. The child's menu should be balanced. From it you need to eliminate fatty, s alty, flour and sweet dishes. Preference should be given to fresh vegetables, fruits, dairy products. Hypoallergenic cosmetics can be used as care products. Frequent and long walks in the fresh air, physical education will help strengthen the he alth of the child.
Particular attention should be paid to personal hygiene: regularly carry out water procedures. Despite the fact that seborrhea is not a dangerous disease, you need to be able to recognize its symptoms in time in order to consult a doctor and treat it in a timely manner. If the child does not have congenital pathologies and does not suffer from allergies, the observance of preventive measures will help to avoid the development of the disease.
