Pedemy · For parents
Cradle cap — tracker
Note which areas are scaly, what you used and how the skin responded, so you can show the doctor any change.
Use these notes with your child’s clinician. This tool does not diagnose illness, prescribe treatment or confirm that home care is safe.
Call 911 now
Call 911 or your local emergency number if your baby is very hard to wake, limp, struggling to breathe, or turning blue or gray.
Get medical care now
Get care now if a baby under 3 months has a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. Call the same day for oozing, bleeding, pus bumps, a bad smell, swelling or pain on the scalp, especially with fever.
Your entries stay in this open page and disappear when it is reloaded or closed. Print a copy if needed. Avoid names and identifying details.
Care reminders
- Cradle cap is the thick, greasy, yellowish scale many young babies get on the scalp. It is harmless, rarely itchy and usually clears on its own with gentle washing.
- Wash with mild baby shampoo about every other day, brush gently, and soften stubborn scales with oil overnight.
- Oozing, bleeding, pus, a bad smell, swelling, pain or a spreading rash need a doctor's check.