CRADLE CAP

Course overview

CRADLE CAP, OR PITYRIASIS CAPITIS, IS A SUBSET OF INFANTILE SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS (ISD). IT IS A VERY COMMON, MOSTLY SELF-LIMITING, CHRONIC NON-INFLAMMATORY SCALING SKIN CONDITION THAT PRESENTS BETWEEN THE THIRD WEEK AND FIRST COUPLE MONTHS OF LIFE. THE PEAK INCIDENCE IS AT 3 MONTHS OF LIFE. THE SKIN MANIFESTATIONS ARE MARKED BY ERYTHEMATOUS PLAQUES WITH GREASY-APPEARING YELLOWISH SCALE. CRADLE CAP'S NAME IS ANALOGOUS TO ITS ANATOMICAL LOCATION. IT CAN BE FOUND IN AREAS DENSE IN SEBACEOUS GLAND ACTIVITY, SUCH AS THE SCALP, T LINE OF THE FACE AND EXTERNAL EARS. PARENTS SHOULD BE EDUCATED PROPERLY ON THE MANAGEMENT AND THE BENIGN NATURE OF THIS CONDITION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION, TREATMENT, AND COMPLICATIONS OF CRADLE CAP AND UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH TO ITS MANAGEMENT.