If your child has an itchy scalp, this could be due to many things. It could be a temporary problem that is easy to fix, or it could be something that requires long term treatment. Below are two possible causes and how your child's pediatrician can help your child feel better.
Head Lice
If your child's scalp has just started to itch, they could have head lice. If so, there could be an infestation at their school. Fortunately, this problem is generally easy to treat. You will likely find the head lice on your child's scalp, neck, and ears. The main symptom of lice is severe itching. When lice bite there is an allergic reaction which causes the itching. Your child may complain of feeling something moving on their head, have difficulty sleeping, and may become irritable.
There may be sores on their scalp due to the constant scratching. You will see small white objects in their hair, which are the lice eggs. You will also hear these eggs referred to as nits. They will stick to your child's hair strands and are impossible to remove by simply brushing their hair. If you suspect lice but want to make sure this is the problem, take your child to their pediatrician. They have a special light they can use to see the lice clearly. They can tell you what over the counter shampoo works best, as well as how to use a nit comb to remove the eggs from your child's hair. You will also have to make sure there are no lice left in your home.
The doctor may also prescribe medications, such as lindane, benzyl alcohol lotion, and malatrion. They can go over with you how these medications work and how to properly use them.
Eczema
Another problem your child may have is eczema. Eczema found on the scalp is known as seborrheic dermatitis. In many cases, your child will have an overproduction of sebum, which are natural oils that are secreted by the sebaceous glands found in the scalp. Once this happens, normal skin fungus is increased, which leads to eczema. Other things that may cause this is a dry scalp, dry skin, and allergies.
If your child is exhibiting these symptoms, take them to their pediatrician. The doctor can prescribe medicated dandruff shampoo, as well as topical creams. The pediatrician can go over this treatment in more detail with you.
Get your child treatment by their pediatrician as soon as you notice any of these symptoms before the problems gets much worse. Contact a medical clinic, such as HealthSource Of Ohio, for more information.
Share13 April 2016
After watching my mother navigate treatment for breast cancer in my early teens, I knew pretty much what to expect from my dad's diagnosis with prostate cancer. What I didn't know was how different chemotherapy and radiation can affect different people. My mother became very ill while my dad seemed to weather the treatments with few ill effects. I spent a long time researching the differences in treatments, types of chemotherapy, and how each one can react differently with the body. I created this blog to help others understand the same things, because I knew I couldn't be the only one unfamiliar with it. I hope it helps you if someone you love is facing treatment for any type of cancer.
