Managing Your Child's Eczema at Nursery or School

Handing over your child's eczema care to a nursery or school for the first time can feel daunting — you're no longer the one applying moisturiser or watching for the early signs of a flare-up. With a bit of preparation, most settings are able to support your child's routine well. Here's how to make that handover as smooth as possible.

Talk to the Setting Before Term Starts

Most nurseries and schools have a process for managing medical needs, even for something as common as eczema. Ask specifically about:

• Whether staff can apply moisturiser during the day, and their policy on doing so
• Where moisturiser will be stored (some settings require it to be labelled with your child's name)
• Whether a care plan or medical form needs to be completed

Provide a Simple, Clearly Labelled Kit

Make it as easy as possible for staff to help, particularly in a busy nursery or classroom setting:

• A clearly labelled moisturiser, ideally a pump or tub that's easy to use one-handed
• Brief written instructions — when to apply, and what to do if the skin looks like it's flaring
• A spare in their bag if the setting allows it, for school trips or forgotten kits

Explain What a Flare-Up Looks Like

Staff who don't see your child's skin daily may not recognise the difference between normal eczema-prone skin and the early stages of a flare-up. A short, plain-language note describing what to watch for — increased redness, your child scratching more than usual, or skin that looks broken — helps staff know when to act or contact you, without needing to be a skin specialist themselves.

Prepare Your Child, Too

Depending on their age, it can help to talk to your child directly about their eczema in simple terms — that it's common, not contagious, and nothing to be embarrassed about. Some children benefit from being able to ask a teacher for their cream themselves, or explain to curious classmates what the patches on their skin are, rather than feeling singled out.

Common Triggers in a School or Nursery Setting

• Frequent handwashing — a normal part of the school day, but drying for eczema-prone hands. A pocket-sized moisturiser for reapplication after washing can help.
• Messy or sensory play — sand, paint and playdough can all be irritating to compromised skin. This doesn't need to be avoided, but a wash and moisturise afterwards is helpful.
• School uniform fabric — wool jumpers and synthetic fabrics can irritate the skin; a soft layer underneath can help if uniform choice is limited.
• Heating in winter — classrooms and nurseries are often warm and dry, which increases moisture loss from the skin through the day.

When to Loop In Your GP

If flare-ups are becoming more frequent once your child starts nursery or school, it's worth mentioning to your GP or dermatologist — sometimes it's simply a new environment with different triggers, and sometimes the daily routine needs adjusting to fit around the school day more realistically.

About Ovée

The Ovée Baby & Child Moisturising Cream is designed to be simple and quick to apply, which matters as much in a busy classroom as it does at home. Fragrance-free and safe from birth, it's formulated to fit into a real daily routine, not just an ideal one.

Dr. Tim Clayton is a Consultant Paediatric Dermatologist, President of the British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Dermatology, and Co-Founder of Ovée Skin Health.