Flaking can happen as early as infancy, in a condition which we have discussed earlier in The Parenting Magazine: cradle cap. Now this is not dandruff per se, as the cause may be genetic, but it still requires dedicated infant care in order to take care that this will not affect your child even worse.

The United States National Library of Medicine offered tips and guidelines in trying to work around or to prevent cradle cap. Here are a few advice:

- The brush you wouls use for your baby is very significant as it will be of direct contact to the scalp of the baby. Choose combs with soft bristles to boost circulation and help scaly patches of skin fall off.

- Maintain cleanliness at all costs. Make sure you wash the scalp thoroughly to remove all soap. Usually a good regimen is to wash the scalp with gentle soap and then follow it up with shampoo two times a week.

- If cradle cap doesn’t improve or baby continues to react to scalp itchiness, see your pediatrician about a topical lotion or cream.