When the baby is in the womb, a slight hairline is already present on his head. After birth, the hair continues to grow, but there are situations when a small bald spot can be found on the back of the head in the baby. This causes parental anxiety. How much does a bald spot appear on the back of the head at the baby and what to do in this case will be discussed later.
Natural causes
Why is a bald spot on the back of her head? This question is asked by many parents to the pediatrician. If the baby has a slight baldness, this is most often not a sign of pathology.
During the formation of the fetus in the female womb, the baby's hair follicles contribute to the growth of lanugo-cannon hair, which is thin and soft rods. After the baby is born, this hair continues to grow for some time.
Approximately by the age of 3-6 months, new rods are formed in the dermal layer of the scalp of the baby from the papilla, which is the basis for the growth of any hair. They push out the fluffy hair, as a result of which, they are separated from the dermal papilla and go outside. This leads to the formation of a bald spot.
Why is this phenomenon observed on the back of the head?
Regarding why a bald spot on the back of the head at the baby appears exactly on the back of the head, everything is simple here. Until the moment the baby learns to crawl and sit, he spends all the time in the crib. There he lies on his back and twists his head in different directions, which accelerates the process of loss of cannon hair on the back of the head.
And when does a bald spot grow on the back of the head at the baby? When the intensity of the child’s movements increases, the back of the head will again grow into hair.
Typically, these processes are gradual, and parents do not even notice the problem. If excessively fast hair loss is observed, then you should consult a doctor.
The presence of pathologies
The cause of the bald spot on the back of the head in the baby can be pathological processes in the body. If the intensity of this process is quite high, then this may indicate the presence of a number of diseases:
- Children's rickets. This is the most common cause of receding hairline. The presence of additional symptoms indicates the presence of the disease. So, there is excessive irritability, tearfulness, trouble sleeping, high sweat. There are several reasons for the appearance of this pathology. This may be a lack of vitamin D in the body of a newborn, premature labor, problems with the functioning of the endocrine and enzyme systems, and improper nutrition. The risk group includes children under the age of three months.
- Gneiss is a disease characterized by the formation of a bald spot on the scalp of the baby's head, where a dense crust forms. The reasons for its formation may be hormonal imbalance or an allergic reaction, which lead to increased sebum secretion. In order not to worsen the condition of the baby and prevent the appearance of scars, it is strictly forbidden to clean the crust on your own.
Other reasons
There are other causes of baldness on the head of the baby. It can be ringworm, which is one of the fungal and viral diseases. In addition to the formation of a bald spot on the back of the head, the following symptoms may occur:
- redness
- inflammation
- peeling;
- itching
- breaking off hair.
This type of disease is considered highly contagious, and you can catch it at the slightest contact with a sick person.
Also, one of the reasons may be a lack of nutrients. If there is a lack of vitamins and minerals, pathology develops. But in this case, hair loss is characteristic in other areas of the head.
Who to contact?
With the formation of a bald spot on the head of the baby, it is necessary to stop panicking and think about which doctor is the best to take the baby to. If the loss develops rapidly, but there are no signs of the disease on the skin, it is recommended to go to the pediatrician's office.
When the inflammatory process is observed, red spots are present, there is a crust and the skin is peeling, a dermatologist should be visited.
Quite often, doctors are not particularly attentive to children's bald patches, as they are recognized as a natural physiological phenomenon. Therefore, if the mother is still worried about the condition of the child, even after consulting a pediatrician or dermatologist, it is worth visiting a trichologist. This is a hair specialist. He will immediately make a diagnosis of their condition and skin of the newborn, and then draw the appropriate conclusions.
Disease Prevention
Knowing that at the age of up to six months the baby is susceptible to various diseases, including those that cause the appearance of a bald spot on the back of the head at the baby, it is necessary to perform certain preventive manipulations:
- If a child has already begun to be fed, then it is necessary to use products such as green vegetables, nuts, legumes, it is very important to monitor the quality of drinking water.
- On sunny days, you should walk with your child as much as possible, this helps to increase vitamin D in the blood and improves the functioning of the immune system.
- Hygiene rules must be strictly observed. Once a week, the baby's head should be washed with a special shampoo for newborns. On the remaining days, the hair is rinsed with warm, clean water. In addition, the child must have a personal towel.
- During washing, a special baby hair oil can be applied to the baby’s head. It is applied for 5 minutes, and then washed off with shampoo.
- Particular attention should be paid to the emotional state of the child, because the appearance at this age of a bald spot on the back of the head can also be triggered by nervous strain.
Treatment
If it was determined that the bald spot on the back of the head in the baby is caused by a disease such as rickets (the most common cause), then the therapy should be comprehensive. It includes techniques aimed at eliminating the factors that provoked the development of such a condition.
Treatment of rickets is carried out under the strict supervision of a pediatrician and includes specific and non-specific methods of therapy. In the second case, treatment is aimed at strengthening the general condition of the body and includes:
- proper organization of the daily regimen;
- sufficient finding the baby in the fresh air;
- nutrition, contributing to the normalization of metabolic processes in the body;
- regular gymnastic exercises and massage.
During the day, children should be in the fresh air for at least 2-3 hours, with the exception of severe frosts. In the summer, the baby should be hidden from exposure to direct sunlight. Walking in the shade of trees will allow the body to produce enough vitamin D.
Specific techniques
In the treatment of rickets, medicines containing vitamin D, phosphorus, and calcium are mandatory prescribed. This is a specific treatment method.
The amount of drugs used per day is determined only by the pediatrician, taking into account the age and weight of the baby, as well as the severity of the pathology. When calculating the dosage, attention is also paid to the presence of concomitant symptoms, namely anemia or the presence of diseases of the internal organs.
It is recommended to refrain from using an alcoholic solution of vitamin D, since it contains too large a dose of vitamin, which can provoke an overdose in a baby. Fish oil will also not be the best solution in the presence of rickets, since it has a specific smell and taste, which in a fragile organism can cause a negative reaction.
If a bald spot is found on the back of the head, the child should not be nervous, but observe the changes for several days. If hair loss is intense, then you need to see a doctor and not self-medicate.