Milk scab, or gneiss in infants: causes and methods of treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Before the child is born, a lot of troubles and illnesses await him. And one of these difficulties in a new world for him is a milk scab or gneiss. This phenomenon is characterized by the appearance in the very first months of milk crusts on the baby's head. And although they will pass after a certain time, young mothers are very worried about such manifestations.

In fact, milk scab, known medically as diathesis, is not a disease in the conventional sense of the word. This is a kind of rash that appears as a reaction of the baby's body to various phenomena - an allergy to certain foods or to a cold aggressive external environment. A long stay in damp cold air or the use of allergy-causing foods by the mother - strawberries, citrus fruits, eggs and some others - can cause ugly seborrheic crusts - scabs to appear on the child's head. In this article, we will find out why a baby has a milk scab, the reasons for thisphenomena, symptoms of the disease and its types. In addition, we will try to figure out how to deal with trouble and what methods to use.

What is this disease, and how does it manifest itself?

Why does gneiss appear in children? Most often, milk crusts occur in children under one year old. At a later age, they are rarely observed, and after the child reaches the age of 4 years, they almost never occur. This phenomenon is called exudative-catarrhal diathesis and is caused by excessive secretions from the sebaceous glands located on the baby's head. But why do these glands start to produce fat so intensively, showing excessive activity?

This can be due to excessive dryness of the skin, which was formed as a result of washing your hair too often or using rather rough shampoos that are not suitable for the very delicate skin of the baby. The reason for the appearance of gneiss in children can also be too much wrapping of the head, which, with excess heat, begins to actively sweat. As a result, excess fat is produced, which dries up and takes a yellowish ugly crust. Such manifestations are not limited to the head area and can move to the cheeks, causing redness and peeling.

Milky scab is a sure sign of diathesis. It appears literally in the first months of a baby's life and looks like yellow crusts in the parietal region, in the area of the fontanel, and also near the superciliary arches. A little later, the child begins to feel severe itching in these places, and eczema may also occur. At this time they become very weak.and the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, throat, genitals and perineum become inflamed.

You could say that a scab on a child's skin looks absolutely frightening. Many mothers because of this fall into a real panic. And they can be understood - on the thin and delicate skin of the baby, yellow crusts suddenly appear on the head. They dry up, forming a monolithic layer, which can break up into separate formations and become covered with seborrheic scales.

Hashing when a child has a problem

It is impossible to remove such crusts dry. To remove these dried fatty secretions, you need to moisten them well. It is best to do this while swimming. By the way, washing your baby's hair after a milk scab has appeared is not only not prohibited, but also welcomed. During contact in warm water, the crusts get soaked and can even lag behind the skin on their own. If they do not come off on their own, you can carefully try to remove them if they are removed without effort. If you regularly wash your child's head with a mild baby shampoo a couple of times a week, the milky scab on the head may gradually disappear on its own. And the use before washing the head for pre-lubrication of various oils - sesame, olive, vegetable - will help to soften it as much as possible. If you wash your baby with baby soap, you can reduce the secretion of the glands and dry the skin. Softened crusts are removed with a frequent comb.

Types of diathesis in children

For many parents, exudative catarrhal diathesis becomes a real shock. Of course, he looks terrible, but the phenomenon is quite common.and common for children from three months to two years. Sometimes a simple rash can turn into a continuous reddening of the skin, which is covered with small bubbles. As a result, a yellowish liquid begins to ooze from these bubbles, which, when dried, forms a milky scab.

Exudative diathesis is better known as atopic dermatitis. It manifests itself in almost 40% of newborns and older children. As a rule, it occurs due to individual intolerance to certain foods, and there should be quite a lot of this product. With small amounts of a strong reaction of the body will not follow. The result of eating allergenic foods causes certain disturbances in the course of metabolic processes, which leads to unpleasant consequences - diathesis appears in the baby on the face and head.

Also, diathesis can appear for a number of other reasons. These include:

• dysbacteriosis;
• frequent SARS;
• dysbacteriosis and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the mother during the period of bearing the baby;
• use of large amounts of antibiotics;
• intestinal infections;
• early transfer of the baby to artificial nutrition.

Types of diathesis in children are different, and there are many of them. There are two types of diathesis - pasty and eretic. In the first case, children are overweight, inactive, have pale skin and mucous membranes, as well as juicy rashes on the body.

The second type is typical for those who have reduced nutrition, severe anxiety and dry rash.

There are a number of skin lesions of the baby, which depends on the age of the child, as well as the individual characteristics of his body. Here is a list of these manifestations:

1. Gneiss is the appearance of fatty brownish scales on the baby's eyebrows and on the scalp of his head, while there is an inflammatory process on the skin. This is typical for the onset of diathesis. We will talk about how to remove the seborrheic crust a little later.
2. Weeping eczema is a fairly severe skin lesion that can spread to the neck, body, arms or legs. Small bubbles appear with a clear liquid. When they burst, a constantly wet surface with a yellowish discharge is obtained, which, when dried, forms a translucent crust. Eczema is very itchy and takes a long time to heal.
3. Diaper rash - appear in the folds of the skin in the form of reddening of individual areas, often occur simultaneously with gneiss.
4. Strofulus - a small scattering of nodules, inside each of which a vial with serous fluid appears, happens in children after a year.
5. Milky scab on the cheeks and head - appears shortly after the onset of gneiss and diaper rash and looks like redness against the background of a thickened epidermal layer, which is characterized by peeling of small plates from this formation.
6. Scabies - small nodules on the limbs, rather dense to the touch, itchy.

In any type of exudative-catarrhal diathesis, inflammation of the mucous membranes is observed. And this can provoke diseases such as conjunctivitis, blepharitis, rhinitis,bronchitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, as well as possible complications in the form of pneumonia and bronchial asthma. Now it is logical to proceed to the consideration of the question of how to remove the milk scab. What should I do to get rid of this problem?

How to remove crusts?

If diathesis appears in a baby on the face or head, you should perform simple actions, namely, learn how to properly remove dried crusts so as not to injure the healing skin.

And you need to do it like this:

• lubricate the crust with vaseline;
• cover with a dry gauze cloth;
• cover with wax paper;
• put a cap on top and wait a few hours (3-4 will be enough);
• when bathing, wash the child's head - the crusts can be easily removed without leaving any wounds.

It is absolutely impossible to pry off a dry crust with nails or sharp objects. To soften it, you can still use baby cream. Synthetic clothing should be excluded, as well as natural wool. The baby's bedding and undershirts should be washed only with baby soap, and the house must be kept clean and well ventilated. Outdoor walks and quality nutritious food are a must.

Prevention of the formation of new crusts consists of several simple measures. It is necessary to protect the scalp from overheating. That is, it is necessary to carry out air and sun baths for the whole body and head of the baby.

The second important event is to wash your hair no more than 2 times a week. ATprocess, it is necessary to use baby shampoos without aggressive components. Also, a mandatory preventive measure is daily combing.

Features of the treatment of the disease in children

Basic treatment should be carried out by a qualified specialist who will prescribe the necessary drugs to the child, write out the daily routine and outline the range of prohibited foods in the mother's diet. The task of parents is to strictly follow all the doctor's instructions and provide the baby with quality care and nutrition. As a rule, the attending physician in such a situation prescribes an additional intake of vitamins A, C, E and B-group. Mom is recommended natural juices.

Treatment is usually carried out locally, but together with daily baths with antiseptic, antipruritic, anti-inflammatory drying drugs. In the acute period, you can make chilled lotions with medicines or herbal remedies prescribed by a doctor. At all times during the treatment of diathesis, dry skin should be treated with vegetable oils, previously boiled and cooled. For these purposes, you can use sea buckthorn and rosehip oil or vitamin A in an oil solution.

Eczema treatment

In the case of eczema, use a 1% solution of methylene blue, brilliant green and other anti-infective agents. If the child's symptoms include a sleep disorder, the doctor should prescribe medication for irritability.

Dermatitis Treatment

One of the most difficult forms of diathesis to treat is atopic dermatitis. The disease is caused by geneticpredisposition and is chronic. The main characteristic of atopic dermatitis, which usually appears in infancy - before the age of two, can be considered severe itching and red spots on the forehead and cheeks.

The disease is severe, the affected skin becomes wet, severe swelling appears, after which a crust forms. In the acute period, papular elements can be observed - tubercles of the skin. Papules and spots hide in the folds of the skin, the inner surface of the elbows and knees, behind the ears. The skin in these places dries up and peels off. Over time, signs of an atopic face may appear - strong pigmentation around the eye, folds on the lower eyelids, dull skin color. What is the treatment for childhood atopic dermatitis?

First of all, parents should remember that neither dermatitis nor diathesis is categorically recommended to be treated on their own, even when you use folk recipes or herbal medicine. Skin diseases are very capricious and instead of being cured, you can get even deeper skin lesions, which can be much more difficult to deal with. Having identified signs of diathesis or dermatitis, consult a doctor for a more accurate diagnosis and selection of a treatment method. There are some serious conditions that are similar in symptoms to dermatitis but are not, so your child's life could be at stake.

You can’t even increase the course of treatment with drugs already prescribed by a doctor, because their side effects can become more dangerous for a child thanwhat he was being treated for. Atopic dermatitis is treated:

• following a hypoallergenic diet;
• taking antihistamines to reduce itching;
• body detoxification;
• anti-inflammatory topical drugs, such as Timogen cream 0.05%;
• taking sedative sedatives - glycine, valerian, peony, sedative herbs;
• using antibacterial agents for infections.

Severe forms of dermatitis require quite a long treatment, even in the complete absence of exacerbation. The rest of the forms can be treated with various folk methods, since for many centuries mankind has accumulated a lot of experience in the treatment of diathesis.

Folk treatments for diathesis in children

In alternative medicine, the following methods of dealing with diathesis have been successfully used for a long time:

• Infusion of dandelion root - infuse a teaspoon of dry plant in a glass of boiling water under a tight lid for an hour or longer. Take ¼ cup infusion half an hour before meals.
• Infusion of the series, prepared similarly to the first recipe, but drink three times a day, before meals for 20-30 minutes.
• Bath with a string - 1 time per day, the infusion is prepared from 4-5 tablespoons of crushed dry raw materials, which are placed in a liter of boiling water, leave for 10-12 hours, then strain well, add to the bath water at a temperature not higher, but not lower than 37 degrees.
• Alternate bath with juniper decoction - 100 g dry juniper perliter of cold water. Infuse for 1.5-2 hours and boil for 15 minutes after boiling, add to bath water when bathing before going to bed.
• Camomile infusion baths - powdered dry inflorescences 100–150 g, pour 1–2 liters of boiling water, leave for half an hour at room temperature, then pour into bath water. The water in the bath should not be colder or hotter than 36–37.5 degrees, the course of treatment is 8–10 bath procedures.
• Baths with nettle infusion: crush 100-150 g into flour and pour 1-2 liters of boiling water to infuse in a sealed container. Infusion time - 45 minutes at room temperature. Strain through cheesecloth and pour into a warm bath 36-37, 5 degrees. Bathe the child daily. For treatment, you need to spend about 8-10 sessions.

• Bathing a child in an infusion of calendula flowers, crushed into powder: 80-100 g per 1-2 liters of boiling water, leave for half an hour, tightly wrapped in a towel or other warm cloth, strain through gauze. The time of the procedure, the number of courses of water temperature are identical to the previous case.
• Infusion of peppermint: 80–100 g of dry herb to insist for 45 minutes in boiling water under the lid. Then pour the infusion into the bath water and bathe the child. It can also be used for lotions, as well as washing the affected areas.
• Decoction of a mixture of herbs for baths. The ratio in parts: wheat seeds - 10, germinated rye grains - 5, pine buds - 3, string, burdock root and calamus - 2 each, oak bark, blackcurrant leaves, sage, thyme (thyme), chamomile flowers,lungwort root - 1 part each. Approximately 100 g of a mixture of plants boil in 1-2 liters of water over low heat for half an hour. Strain and pour into bath water, treatment time 4-5 minutes, 8-10 sessions.
• Ointment of fir oil mixed with olive or baby cream in a ratio of 1:3, lubricate the affected areas once a day, you can alternate this remedy with others.
• Phytoapplications with cabbage leaves boiled in cow's milk, knead them and apply for 20-30 minutes on the diathesis crust.
• From bad sleep and itching - an infusion of lingonberry leaves is warm - 1 teaspoon of dried raw material is infused for several hours in a glass of boiling water, then it must be filtered and squeezed out, water the baby 3-4 times a day for a teaspoon.

When do you need a doctor's help?

If the gnes does not go away, then it is worth looking for the reason for this. It is possible that this is due to a fungal infection. Or the cause is atopic dermatitis. If you are breastfeeding, then reconsider your diet.

You must see a doctor:

• if the scales get wet;
• if there are no changes within 7 days after trying to get rid of gneiss;
• crusts are growing;
• flakes peel off;
• severe itching appears;
• child becomes irritable;
• scales spread all over the body.

Conclusion

We hope you found this article interesting and useful. This material contains information about the causes and symptoms of childhood diathesis, as well as the means of dealing with it. Do not forget thatOnly a doctor can prescribe treatment, and it is up to the parents to clearly and correctly follow the instructions and, in case of any deviations, consult a medical specialist.