Eczema and school

Preparing for school

Preparation and forward planning is essential before your child starts school. Eczema is a common condition, so staff at your child’s school will have some awareness of it. However, even if they’ve come across another child with eczema, their experience may differ from your child’s individual eczema needs, as eczema is not a one-size-fits-all condition.

In the term before your child starts school, make sure you contact the school and ask for a specific meeting, before settling-in and early school days, so the class teacher is prepared.

A face-to-face meeting may not be possible but ask for a virtual meeting or phone call with the child’s teacher. This is important so you can work on a plan together. As a parent, you need to build an understanding between you and the school staff and provide individual information about your child and their eczema. This may be pulled together into an individual healthcare plan.

If your child is starting school for the first time, this will be a huge milestone for them – and for you. It may be the first time you have entrusted your child’s skin care to someone else, so you need to feel confident that your child’s school team really understand what triggers their eczema, what this can mean for your child, and what to do about it.

Prepare for independence

As your child develops, they will learn to meet their own personal care needs at school – including for their eczema. Each child is different and needs to take this at their own pace. Even some older children may need more help at school, especially after the disruptions to schooling during Covid-19.

Before your child starts school, try and help them understand their eczema and start to get involved in managing their skin. The sooner they start this learning and self-management, the better equipped they will be to cope at school without you.

At home, include moisturising as a daily life skill alongside brushing their teeth and hair. If they are still at nursery, ask staff if they can help them learn to moisturise their skin, as this will help them prepare for school. Reward charts or verbal praise will help encourage your child to take control of a daily emollient routine. Once they can do it for themselves, it will be very empowering and increase their confidence.

Help your child understand what can make their eczema worse and their personal triggers – not least, as they may need to remind adults at school. If your child has allergies, especially ones that may cause anaphylaxis (for example, nuts or latex), it’s very important that you teach them what to avoid and this will be central in their individual healthcare plan for all the school staff.

Eczema triggers at school

School uniform

PROBLEM: Synthetic fibres and wool can irritate and cause itching. If you have a choice, buy 100% cotton uniform.
SOLUTION: If synthetic uniform is regulation, your child can wear thin cotton layers under the uniform or ask if they can wear a similar cotton uniform with school logos sewn on. Consider buying larger sizes, as loose clothing is more comfortable.

Getting too hot

PROBLEM: Classrooms are often overheated. Children can also get too hot at playtime when they are running around.
SOLUTION: Talk to the teacher about how your child can access a cool place in the classroom, near a window rather than a radiator. Explain that your child may need to cool down and apply emollient in a private area.

Games and PE

PROBLEM: Overheating during sporting activity (including swimming) causes sweating, which can start itching and scratching. Dust can be a problem, too, when the child’s skin is exposed. In the winter, moving from the outside into central heating can also be a trigger, while in the spring, tree pollen can be problematic.
SOLUTION: Ask if your child can wear cotton leggings and long-sleeved T-shirts to reduce dust exposure. Tell the teacher that your child can go swimming, but they may need to apply a layer of emollient before getting in the pool and then have time to shower and apply emollient after swimming. This might mean getting out of the pool early.

Messy play, art and cookery

PROBLEM: Sand, water, paint, clay and some foods can all be irritants. Plants may also be a trigger for eczema.
SOLUTION: Your child could try wearing nitrile gloves with a cotton liner for these activities. Tell the teacher your child will need to wash their hands with an emollient after these activities, rather than soap and water.

Circle or carpet time

PROBLEM: Sitting directly on a carpet can irritate eczema.
SOLUTION: Provide your child with a cotton sitter, so their skin is not touching the carpet – especially in the summer when legs are exposed.

Classroom pets

PROBLEM: Some children with eczema are allergic to furry or feathered animals.
SOLUTION: Explain to the teacher that it is best your child does not handle pets. Perhaps they can have a special pet-related role so they don’t feel left out? Definitely don’t volunteer to look after pets at the weekend!

Friendships and peers

PROBLEM: Friendships and learning with peers are central to school life. There may be times when your child feels different, self-conscious or anxious about their eczema. However, primary school aged children are remarkably inclusive and understanding about differences. Sometimes children can be singled out or teased though.

SOLUTION: If your child becomes reluctant to go to school, encourage them to share what is going on. If you think there could be a problem, talk to the teacher first rather than other parents. Classmates will be curious and it can be a good idea for teachers to use age-appropriate stories or activities to help the class understand what eczema is and how it affects your child. (You might want to share books and resources with the teachers).

Healthcare plans at school

If your child needs an individual healthcare plan you will have filled in a medical form as a general school admission procedure. If your child has ongoing medical needs, a long-term condition or continuing health needs, they should have an individual healthcare plan (IHP) that is reviewed annually, or sooner if their needs change.

IHPs are relevant for children with moderate-to-severe eczema and any associated allergies. The IHP may be drawn up before your child starts school or if their medical needs change – for example, if their eczema has become more difficult to manage and requires medical intervention during the school day.

The plan should include information from the school, your child’s healthcare professional such as a dermatologist, yourself, and your child. It should clarify how to support your child effectively and what needs to be done, when and by whom. It should include:

• the medical condition, signs, symptoms and treatments

• your child’s resulting needs, medication (including emollients)

• the level of support needed – if your child is self-managing their medication, the IHP needs to state this clearly, with appropriate arrangements for monitoring, including storage of medication (probably emollients)

• who will provide this support and their training needs, including confidentiality of information (limited to essential staff only)

• arrangements for written permission from parents and the headteacher for medication to be administered by a member of staff or self-administered by the pupil during school hours, and privacy for treatment (applying emollients)

• arrangements for school trips (factors that may affect your child’s condition), including special instructions for residential trips

• what to do in the event of an emergency, including who to contact and contingency arrangements.

Staying positive

It’s natural to feel worried about your child at school – especially if they are struggling with their eczema. Make sure you get all the support you need from friends and others. Then do what you can to help them stay positive about school.

Ultimately, you want them to be happy, make friends and fulfil their educational potential – and eczema doesn’t need to stop that from happening. Your child should be able to join in everything at school, even though they may need some adaptions with activities.

You can help by providing clear, simple information to help school meet your child’s needs so your child can get on with having a great time at school.

Additional support and advice

• Allergy UK has a wealth of information on managing allergies in schools.

• Statutory government guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions.

• Read our article "A Teacher's Tips for Managing Eczema at School", in which secondary school teacher Ana-Maria Fernandes draws on her own experience with eczema to share how she supports students with the condition and offers practical tips for parents.