Crusts behind the ears of the baby are a fairly common phenomenon. Young mothers, as a rule, notice them when they carry out daily hygiene procedures. Most of all young parents are worried that this peeling has an unpleasant odor. In this article we will understand the reason for their appearance, find out how dangerous this phenomenon is for the health of the child.
The crusts behind the ears of the baby are not only an aesthetic problem. Often they cause itching, because of which the baby can be capricious, cry, sleep badly. The child can constantly rub his head, refuse to eat. This phenomenon does not seem serious, but it is necessary to find out the cause. Consult a physician and he will determine the cause and prescribe the appropriate course of treatment. Next, let's talk about what could provoke the appearance of crusts behind the ears of the baby.
Non-compliance with the baby's hygiene and the consequences of this
When a baby drinks milk from a breast or bottle, a little milk can spill over the ears. Also, sweat and dirt accumulate here, and all this organic mixture begins to decay and provokes the appearance of an unpleasant odor and irritation.
Hygiene procedures
To get rid of the unpleasant phenomenon, the following manipulations should be carried out. How to bathe a baby to get rid of crusts?
- During hygiene procedures, dip the child in water so that only a face remains on the surface. Thus, the crusts will become softer, and it will be easier to separate them from the skin.
- After bathing, wipe the surface behind your ears dry. Take a small piece of gauze, wrap your finger. Dip it in sea buckthorn oil. Lubricate a clean and dried surface to relieve irritation. Be careful: sea buckthorn oil can stain clothes!
- After a couple of minutes, gently wipe the treated areas. Remove the remaining oil and plaque with it.
Now you know how to bathe a baby. By following these rules, you can fight the appearance of severe irritation. Ear care of this kind is the prevention of the problem. If you do not have the opportunity to bathe your baby every day, then try to wipe the area behind the ears daily with a cotton pad dipped in warm water. After that, you can apply a moisturizer or baby oil. This will soften the tissue and contribute to the soft removal of plaque.
Important! Particular attention should be paid to ear care in hot weather. In summer, sweat accumulates in this zone especially quickly, and the baby will suffer from diaper rash and irritation. Subsequently, the inflammatory process begins and pathogenic microflora can join. If you notice that moisture is constantly accumulating behind the ears in the heat, then use a powder.
The appearance of crusts as a result of staphylococcus
If you follow all the rules of hygiene, and the condition only worsens, then you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Perhaps the cause of the trouble lies in infection with Staphylococcus aureus. What is it? This is a bacterium that belongs to opportunistic microflora. Most people carry it. But with the normal functioning of the immune system and observing the rules of hygiene, the bacterium is not dangerous.
If hygiene rules are not followed and immunity is reduced, bacteria begin to multiply rapidly and spread to other parts of the body. Subsequently, they can cause a lot of trouble. For example, purulent tonsillitis or meningitis.
In order to confirm that this Staphylococcus aureus is the cause of the appearance of crusts behind the ears of the baby, you need to pass the culture on the microflora.
If a symptom such as high fever has joined a strong irritation, then you need to urgently call a doctor! In this case, the doctor will prescribe antibiotic therapy to stop the infection.
Do not self-medicate with folk remedies. They will not help here, and you will lose precious time. All sorts of lotions with herbal infusions can only aggravate the situation, since organic products create a breeding ground for bacteria.
Unusual manifestations of an allergic reaction
Crusts behind the ears of a child can be a sign of an allergic reaction. The only thing is that this symptom rarely appears locally. As a rule, beauty and peeling appear throughout the body of the crumbs.
Talk to your pediatrician. It will help you find out if the cause is really an allergy. Your doctor may prescribe an examination such as allergy tests. This will help to find out what exactly is the source of allergies.
Potential Allergens
Until a nursing mother finds out, it is best to exclude potential allergens from the diet:
- whole milk;
- condensed milk;
- sweets;
- coffee and strong tea;
- fish
- egg yolk;
- red meat;
- nuts
- muffin;
- fruits of bright colors.
If the baby is artificial, then perhaps the doctor will recommend changing the mixture. If the child is already receiving complementary foods, then it should be monitored after which products the irritation intensifies.
In addition to food, an allergic reaction can provoke:
- household chemicals;
- cat or dog hair;
- plant pollen;
- high humidity and dust in the room.
Scrofula in children
Children from birth to 10 years old can suffer from a specific type of atopic dermatitis, which is colloquially called "scrofula". The crusts behind the ears of the child, which arise as a result of the disease, bring unpleasant and painful sensations. When an adult removes them, pink, as if burnt, skin opens under them. Education resembles a wet wound.
Causes of the disease
Scrofula can provoke food or household allergens. It can also occur against the background of a decrease in immunity, which arose due to malnutrition or a lack of vitamins and minerals. Another reason is the lack of sunlight and, accordingly, vitamin D. It is also noted that the problem often occurs in children who were born to an elderly couple. The cause of scrofula can also be non-compliance with sanitary standards in the home, insufficient hygiene.
More serious diseases that the mother suffered, such as syphilis, cancer, tuberculosis, can also provoke scrofula. This type of atopic dermatitis often affects children who were conceived by their parents in a state of intoxication or who regularly drink alcohol.
At first, the disease looks like diaper rash. The skin begins to peel off very much. Then a golden or yellowish crust forms on the surface. Hence the name. If treatment is not started in time, then such formations will soon appear throughout the body. This brings the child a lot of unpleasant pain.
Treatment of scrofula behind children’s ears
See your doctor for a diagnosis. He will prescribe a treatment. It is usually aimed at local lesions. Therapy consists in the use of zinc ointment, cauterization of wounds with fucorcin. Bepanten ointment also helps. A child should bathe with the addition of a decoction of currant leaves in the bath. They have disinfecting properties. You can add sea salt to the water. Before taking such funds, you must always consult a doctor. At more advanced stages, antibiotic therapy will be required.
Also, the pediatrician is likely to prescribe procedures and medications that are aimed at strengthening the immune system. Doctors recommend taking fish oil for children over one year old. If the mother is breastfeeding, then she herself can take this dietary supplement. She will go to the baby along with milk.