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Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22 |
(NC)-Over one million children affected by eczema will be heading back to school this fall with more on their minds than just meeting their new teachers and classmates. At an age when social acceptance is very important, many children with the disease fear that they will be teased by their classmates.
"Children with eczema often endure hurtful comments from peers because of the appearance of their skin," said Dr. Maha Haroun, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. "A child suffering from eczema may feel uncomfortable in social settings and require additional emotional support and understanding from family members and teachers."
Here are a few important facts for teachers and parents to help children better cope with the disease and its consequences.
. Children with eczema may be self-conscious
A child's self-esteem is very fragile and children with eczema may be particularly self-conscious about the appearance of their skin. The child may be teased by classmates and subject to hurtful comments from his or her peers. The child may also resist wearing shorts or T-shirts because of embarrassment.
You may choose to address this issue delicately with your child by discussing such subjects as diversity, tolerance, and bullying in the classroom. Remind your child that eczema is NOT contagious and is not caused by poor hygiene.
. Some activities might make it worse
A child suffering from eczema may not be able to participate in certain activities, as these activities may make the condition worse. Excessive perspiration during physical activity and certain materials used in some arts and crafts may put the child at risk of a flare up. Eczema on the child's fingers may make it difficult for the child to hold a pair of scissors or even a crayon or pen.
. The child may not be able to sit still
When suffering from eczema, a child may not be able to sit still because of the constant urge to scratch. It's very difficult for the child to resist scratching, but constant scratching will irritate the skin and cause a flare-up. The resulting cracked skin can lead to a secondary infection. Often the child may not even realize that they are scratching and he or she simply needs to be reminded to stop in a quiet, discrete way.
. The child may feel tired and drowsy
Drowsiness, fatigue, and poor concentration may be caused by sleepless nights due to the constant itch and physical discomfort. This may even affect their ability to complete homework assignments at times.
To help children with eczema get through the school year with flying colours, please visit our website www.eczemacanada.ca or call 1 (866) 432-0362 to receive complimentary fact-based information that you can pass along to your child's teachers, guidance counsellors and school nurse.
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