weirdness

Okay, so today's researching started as an innocent inquiry.

Is it common for a child of Austin's age to get cradle cap? Or dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis specifically.

He had a major bad case when he was about two months maybe. We tried everything. Everything. It disgusted me. I have this weird, cringy-ness about scales and bumps. Uck!! It made me crazy.

So, I believe it was that January after he was born, we took him to the pedi. Selsun Blue was the order. And it worked very well! After about a week or so, no more nasty scales!

Over the weekend, I was playing with and admiring his ever-so-thickening mane...

And I spotted...

You guessed it.

Those yellowish scales again! My first instinct was to scratch them away...I can't stand to look at them. But I contained myself. After all, it's not my head to scratch!

Old me would just break out the Selsun Blue again and wash until it cleared up. New me...Detective Me...Analytical Me...wanted to know more. I don't take in anything as typical baby stuff anymore. I have to know if there's a reason for every new development. To see if there's a connection somewhere. I've googled just about every crazy medical combo I can think of over the past year!

Anyway, I thought it was odd. Him having this again at 20 months old. I wanted to check into it to see what the normal age range is for "cradle cap".

Various ranges. Some websites say newborn-3 yrs. Some say up to 12 months. Others up to six months.

But, what really struck me?

On almost every site, it linked seborrheic dermatitis (the official medical term) to neurologic conditions -stroke, head injury, and Parkinson's disease were the only specifics I could find.

Then came this:

Seborrheic dermatitis usually appears in infants younger than three months and adults. It is also more common in men, and people with epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, HIV, and vitamin B deficiencies. It appears more likely to occur in people with oily skin, those who don’t wash their hair often, and those undergoing illness, stress, or hormonal changes.

I also found something saying excessive vitamin A can cause it... and lack of vitamin B6 and B12.

By the way, he's a clean baby! He gets regular baths and hair washes!! Just had to throw that in there! ;-)

Why the heck is there a connection between epilepsy and dandruff??? I've read and read and read...the possible causes they cover just doesn't make sense for this connection. Of course, I'm no physician either. Just a constant over-analyzing-obsessive-mommy!