Baby Talk January 2019

Baby & Toddler
Feature
Hair care in children has gained more importance as
parents are now aware that a clean scalp promotes
healthy hair and one of the signs of good health in a
child is a head of shiny hair.
As a parent, of course all you want to do is care for your child
the best way possible, but you may not know where to start!
Here are some answers to common questions regarding child
hair care.
How often should I wash my
baby's hair?
Your little one would never benefit from over washing his
hair, regardless if he has a full head of hair or sparse hair.
Babies’ sebaceous glands on the scalp produce natural oils
that keep their scalp moisturised, so over washing could
result in a dry and flaky scalp.
From infancy right up to about six months, chances are he is
less mobile and is most likely on an a milk diet. Hence, there
is a low chance of him getting mushy baby food particles
stuck in his hair.
Practice washing his hair with shampoo about once a week,
as this would be alright in our humid climate. On other
days, you can rinse his head with plain lukewarm water
during bath time to get rid of any dust or particles of lint on
his tender scalp.
My baby has very little hair – is it
still necessary to wash?
Yes, it is necessary even if your little one has sparse hair, tufts
or only wisps of hair as not only the hair is cleaned with every
wash – so is the scalp. However, it is not necessary to use
shampoo every time you clean baby’s hair - Just shampoo
once a week if needed, to prevent stripping off the natural
scalp oils.
What is the difference between
baby shampoo and normal
shampoo?
Most adult shampoos contain sulphate, which is a chemical
substance used to provide a ‘squeaky clean’ feeling after a
hair wash. Sulphate is a powerful degreasing agent found
even in common household products, such as laundry
detergents and dish washing liquids.
BabyTalk | January 2019 21