Creating a Classroom Care Kit for Your Child with Eczema

Eczema affects so many aspects of daily life, which can make school especially challenging for kids with eczema. You can help your child (and their teachers) by putting together a kit with everything your child may need during the school day along with written instructions and considerations to help set them up for success.

Eczema kit for school

Creating a classroom kit for your child is one way to give them all the tools they might need to manage their eczema while at school. Hopefully they can keep the kit in their cubby, desk or locker for easy access. Here is a list of suggested items to include in your child’s classroom kit:

• Cotton gloves (for handling materials that may irritate skin)
• Moisturizers
• Alcohol-free hand sanitizer
• Gauze pads
• Mild cleanser (if your child can’t use the school soap)
• Protective clothing, like a hat or long sleeves for outdoor play
• Ice packs or cooling washcloths for inflamed skin 

Provide teachers with important information 

The more your child’s teacher knows about their condition, the better prepared they’ll be to help your child have a positive school experience. Some important questions to answer for your child’s teacher include:

• What type of eczema does your child have? What are their regular symptoms?
• Does your child use any eczema medications? Do they need to have the medications on hand in the classroom? 
• Does the school nurse have their medications? How often do they need to see the nurse each day for medicine? 
• Can they use the soap in the school bathroom?
• Does your child’s eczema require regular application of a moisturizer throughout the day? Does your child know to apply moisturizer on their own or will the teacher need to pay attention and suggest they do so?
• How will your child tell the teacher if they are itchy or need to go grab an ice pack? What is your child’s comfort level in telling the teacher?
• Do you know of any allergens (i.e. dust, pollen, pet dander, etc.) that trigger your child’s eczema that might be found in the classroom?
• Are there any foods that your child should avoid?
• Does your child have any limitations on activities or modified expectations because of eczema? Do you want them to do alternative activities during outdoor recess?
• Is your child’s sleep affected by eczema? Will this contribute to late arrivals, absences or sleepiness in class?
• How does eczema affect your child emotionally? Socially?
• Are there any red flags the teacher should know to watch out for? 

One way to help your child’s teacher is to put the details outlined above into a document. Then the teacher can keep it on hand in the classroom and have it as a reference document. You could also request a meeting with the teacher to go over the document, answer any of their questions and show your appreciation for their help during the school day. 

Eczema can affect kids’ mood, sleep habits, energy level and ability to concentrate. It’s helpful to share some things to watch out for, like persistent scratching or ‘zoning out,’ along with some eczema intervention strategies with teachers and other adults in your child’s life. This may include giving breaks from activities that might trigger a flare, providing cool washcloths followed by moisturizer, an activity to keep their hands busy, etc. 

Setting up a 504 plan for your child 

For students with severe eczema, a 504 plan may be considered. A 504 plan is a provision of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination based upon disability. A 504 plan can be used to address physical, medical or learning issues. All schools, school administrators and teachers must comply with a 504 plan. 

In developing a 504 plan, parents discuss and map out with the school all of the details regarding a child’s disability. You might talk about which activities your child needs to opt out of or what can be done to help your child to accomplish certain goals or tasks at school. For example, if a child has severe hand eczema, putting a plan in place where a laptop can be utilized for testing when needed instead of pencil and paper. Every 504 plan is unique, as it is based on a particular individual’s needs.

Find more helpful tips for managing eczema at school in our booklet “Eczema: Tools for School.”

Podcast: Helping kids with eczema succeed in school

Over one million school-aged kids in the United States are living with severe eczema. Kacey Jenkins, M.Ed., M.S., BCBA, LBA is both a special education instructor and the mother of a child with eczema. She joins this podcast episode of Eczema Out Loud to offer tips and advice on how to help children with eczema have the best possible school experience. Listen here.