Childhood atopic eczema affects 20% of
children aged between 3 and 11 years old. This means that one fifth of primary
school-aged children are coping with eczema at school. So how do children cope
with eczema at school, how do parents inform teachers about their child’s
eczema needs and how do teachers/school staff help their children with eczema?
Unfriendly school
School
can be an unfriendly place for children with eczema. There are lots of
irritants which may be difficult for your child to avoid. Messy
play and art; games and PE, furnace like
radiators, scratchy story time carpets, and the rough and tumble of the playground are all hazards for those with irritable skin. Of course no child with eczema wants to feel excluded from these
activities because of their condition, and no parent wants the unenviable task
of telling their five year old they can’t paint or play games, even though all
their friends are able to.
Take some simple measures
There
are some simple measures you can take to reduce your child’s exposure to
irritants at school. Speak to your child’s teacher and ask that they sit in
cooler parts of the classroom, away from radiators. Provide gloves for your
child to use for messy play to reduce potential irritations and try supplying
them with emollient washes for hands.
One
irritant that is more problematic to avoid is school uniform. School uniforms often cause eczema sufferers
a great deal of irritation, as they are usually made of synthetic materials or
wool. Children with eczema would ideally have uniforms made of natural fibres
such as 100% cotton or silk, however this is not usually possible. Even when it
is some schools may have strict uniform policies; and the child is likely to
get upset if they have to wear slightly different uniform from their friends.
Another
problem faced is a lack of provision by schools for children with eczema. No-touch
school policies mean that young children are being left to apply their
emollients by themselves. Even when a child gets older and moves to secondary
school, social pressures and a heightened concern about their image may make a
child feel insecure about applying emollients for fear of being seen as
different. A solution to all these problems is to wear an unseen layer of
natural fibre under clothing that stops irritants from reaching the skin,
whilst at the same time having a therapeutic effect on your child’s eczema.
How DreamSkin can help
Dressing
your child in DreamSkin means that you will no longer have to rely on your six
year old to manage their own emollient use whilst at school. For your secondary
school child wearing an unseen layer of undergarments will avoid any of the
social stigmas and impracticalities surrounding applying emollients, issues that
lead many to ignore their treatment routine whilst at school.
Make sure staff are aware
The
key to coping with eczema at school is to keep a good line of communication
with your child’s teacher/school. Prior to starting school, arrange a meeting
and explain what eczema means for your child, how they cope and the help your
child needs at school. All schools have a detailed medical plan
that is made available to all members of staff. This booklet or file gives
information on children with certain conditions, from allergies to more serious
illnesses. It lists what actions should be taken by staff in certain situations
and informs them of any special allowances that should be made for the child. Children
with eczema can sometimes be overlooked from these medical plans. If you fear
that staff at your school are going to overlook your child’s eczema insist that
they be included in the medical plan so all staff can be made aware of your
child’s condition. Your child’s eczema should not prevent them from having a
happy and full school life.
