In many cases, dandruff is directly related to hygiene, or lack thereof. While this is not always the case and you shouldn’t judge someone’s personal hygiene by the presence of dandruff, this is nearly always the case when it comes to children. Children and young teens that take care of their daily shampooing may have good intentions, but could be contributing to the problem of flaky dandruff.

Kids and Dandruff:
If your child has ever stepped out of the shower still smelling dirty or like a wet dog, then you know that he or she is not doing a good enough job getting clean.  This is especially true when your child is expected to wash his or her hair on their own. Washing hair is a hard job, especially when you think about girls with long and thick hair. Many time kids will simply wet their hair, pat on the little shampoo and then make a halfhearted attempt to rinse it off.  In reality, what they are doing is causing build up by not washing their hair properly.

As a parent, it is your job to make sure that your child is washing their hair correctly each and every time.  If the shampoo is allowed to sit on the hair, it can cause flaky build up and dandruff.  In addition to shampoo build up, your child is also not scrubbing the scalp properly, causing skin to become itchy and flaking.

There are many products that can help your child do a better job in the shower.  Look for handheld showerheads, so they can help your child really get their hair clean. Shower combs and scrubbing brushes are also great for making sure the scalp gets clean during each wash.  If your child has a difficult time getting all the shampoo out, you may want to make it a habit to check your child before he or she steps out of the shower.