HAIR AND SCALP
The newborn baby usually comes into the world with a good head of hair, but the end of the first or second week witnesses the falling out of much of this hair, and falling may continue for even another week or two. The hair is often worn off on the back of the head because of constant friction upon the pillow.
Children differ greatly in the growth of hair. Some of them come into the world with heavy hair, and others lose it quickly and remain nearly bald-headed until after the first year.
As the second hair grows in, it is usually lighter than it was at birth and lighter than it will be later in life, as the hair has a tendency to grow darker as the years go by.
The scalp should receive the care already mentioned. As the hair comes in it should be shampooed once in two weeks and brushed often, making it healthy and vigorous.
MISSHAPEN HEADS
It is wise to turn the baby first on one side and then on the other and not allow him to sleep night after night on one side of his head. The newborn head may be misshapen by laying the child constantly on one side, and the ear may be misshapen if it is allowed to curl under or become pressed forward. Markedly protruding ears may be partially corrected by having the child wear a well-ventilated cap made for the purpose.
THE SALIVA
Many mothers think that the presence of drooling or the excessive flow of saliva is associated with teeth cutting. While it may be associated with the teeth, this is not usually the case; it is more probably due to the beginning of a new function of secretion. The newborn baby has only enough saliva to furnish moisture for the mouth, and not until the age of four or five months does saliva really flow, and since the teeth appear a bit later we often confuse the institution of a new secretion with the oncoming teeth.