How to manage eczema at school
Getting to grips with managing your child’s eczema at home can be quite an undertaking, so it is understandable that sending a child with eczema to school can be a daunting prospect for parents and carers. Attending school can bring its own set of challenges, from exposure to irritants in a new environment, to access to emollients and other treatments.
We’ve worked with consultant dermatologist Dr Kathy Taghipour, to bring you her top tips for managing eczema at school, in this short video:
Additionally, we’ve put together further advice and resources to help you manage your child’s eczema at school below:
Communication is key
At the beginning of the school year, or when your child joins a new class, arrange to have a conversation with your child’s class teacher, as well as the school nurse and any teaching assistants, where possible.
During this conversation, you should discuss:
- Your child’s diagnosis.
- Your child’s symptoms.
- Your child’s particular triggers / allergies.
- The medicine used to manage your child’s symptoms.
- The coping mechanisms that you have found work well for your child.
- The wider psychological and emotional impact of your child’s eczema.
It may help to write all of this information down before your meeting. The National Eczema Society have produced a fantastic information pack for schools, which includes a parent-teacher meeting checklist. You can download the pack here , or request a hard copy if preferred here. In addition, the Eczema Outreach Support group has a wealth of information to support you in communicating your child’s needs to their school. Visit their website here to download various resources to create an effective school care plan.
It is important that your child and their teachers are aware of potential eczema triggers within a school environment, and to have a plan as to how to mitigate these triggers. Although triggers are different from child to child, we have listed some common school triggers below:
Uniform
Your child may find that the standard school uniform makes them itchy, particularly if they are made from wool or scratchy synthetic materials. If this is the case, you may find that switching to a cotton / cotton-jersey uniform of the same colour will help your child to feel more comfortable, as well as allowing them to fit in with their classmates. Alternatively, you may find that wearing an eczema friendly base layer under the school’s uniform reduces irritation.
We’ve heard great feedback on the eczema friendly base layers from both Skinnies and DermaSilk.
Heat
Extremes of or sudden changes in temperature are often a trigger for those with eczema. Ask that your child is sat away from radiators, and instead close to ventilation where possible.
Physical Exercise
Whilst exercise is important for the physical and mental wellbeing of a child, it is important to recognise that for many children with eczema, sweat can trigger a flare. Your child’s PE teacher should consider modifying activities to a lower intensity if they notice your child is struggling with itchy skin during physical exercise.
Additionally, some children with eczema may find that swimming pools irritate their skin. To alleviate this, you may find that applying an emollient before entering the pool creates a protective barrier. Showering on leaving the pool can also help, followed by another emollient application.
Emollient application
Where possible, try to teach your child to apply their own emollients.
Frequency of emollient application will depend on the severity of your child’s eczema, from 2-3 times per day in some cases, to every 2-3 hours for extremely dry skin (according to NICE guidelines.) It is likely that your child may need to re-apply their emollient at least once during the school day.
Speak to your child’s school to arrange a clean, private space for your child to comfortably re-apply their emollient (a toilet cubicle is not acceptable due to the risk of cross infection.)
It may take some trial and error to find an emollient that your child is comfortable applying on their own. If using a hand applied ointment, ensure that your child understands to apply in smooth strokes, in the direction of hair growth to reduce the risk of folliculitis.
If your child struggles to apply their ointments effectively, you may find that a spray on emollient such as Emollin is easier for topping up during the school day.
Social support
Although it’s so important for your child’s eczema symptoms to be managed during the school day, it can be concerning that your child could become excluded from certain activities and made to feel different.
It’s so important to work with the school, to ensure that your child does not feel left out, and that any reports of hurtful comments from other children are dealt with appropriately.
Increasing understanding of eczema amongst your child’s classmates could be a great way to bring down any barriers. Eczema Outreach Support have developed fantastic workshops for primary school children, as well as resources for secondary school children. Visit their website to find out more.
Do you have a child with eczema? If you have any tips or advice on how to manage their condition at school, we’d love to hear from you.