Is preventative action possible?

[vwvic]

My dd1 is due to go back to school after the half term break on Thursday. They will finally be able to move into the newly built school, after being in portacabins for 18 months. In the past, new carpets and fresh paint fumes etc has caused her eczema to flare up really badly, especially on her legs when she sits on the floor.

So, my question is what, if anything we can do to help stop this being a massive flare up. Her skin is not particulaly good at the moment, but improving each day. We do the usual daily diprobath/cetraban combo regime, with usually good results. Any advice is more than welcome, and thanks in advance!

If the weather is good, would the teachers be able to sit her close to an open window, to lessen the effect of the fumes? And could you send her with a cotton sheet or blanket (we use the old cellular baby blankets) to sit on until it's clear whether or not the floor coverings are going to be an issue?

if you haven't tried probiotics before try them now. Agree with utka about the window and blanket. Hopefully they have used the paint that doesn't give off as many fumes and have had the windows open. Paint can set off some asthmatics too.

Thanks for your replys. She already takes probiotics, but I have to say I'm not really sure of any difference it's making. The window idea is great, I'll remeber to ask the teachers. The only problem I could forsee is that the building has had huge amounts of money thrown at it, and has fancy solar panels and "computer coordinated climate control"- loads of high tech stuff like that. I'm not sure if the staff will be able to open a window just like that!!!

We've tried asking her teacher to let her sit on a mat/blanket before, when they moved into the temporary accomadation. it wasn't allowed, on the basis of health and safety legislation. Having said that, the teacher also said to me that the other kids would want one too, and it would cause to many problems and result in dd1 being singled out. I'm not sure if I'll get a better response this time. So many not sure's!

Does anyone think I might get somewhere if I try the duty of care angle? Kind of it's schools responsibility to make sure she comes to no harm whilst she is there, sort of thing. Can exacerbation of eczema be classed as harm? Or do you think this is being too heavy?

Try adding fish oil (or feeding fresh not canned tuna) to the probiotics, makes them work better and is good for children's brains anyway.

Sounds like you need a copy of "managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings". This is supposed to be downloadable from both education and dept health websites but I could only download it from Dept Health. It suggests searching on reference 1448-2005DCL-EN on my copy. You might be able to get a copy sent to you by e-mailing [email protected]. Not sure if I got my copy from dfes or dept health but mine was free.

This guidance for school makes it clear that the school does have legal obligations to children under the health and safety act. They must make sure pupils are not put at risk. Eczema is not mentioned in the common conditions section but that does talk about the need to minimise risk for other conditions.

At my childrens last school young children sometimes had cushions on the floor. Maybe a cushion is less of a health and safety risk. You'd probably do better if your doctor would write you a note - a medically "prescribed " cushion would be harder to refuse

Thanks for your reply. Today is her first day at the new school. Last night, dh and I decided that we were going to see how she got on before asking anything specific of school. We took some photos of her legs, and will compare them with what they are like tody, when I pick her up.

As an aside, the new school is fab!

As a primary school teacher and mother of a child with excema, I can't believe that the school refused a blanket for your child to sit on. That is outrageous! Go directly to the head and the if this does not work write a letter to the govornors. Kick up as much fuss as you like - you are in the right.

Ds sits on a chair in story time, I requested this after his eczema flared up when he started wearing shorts to school. the teacher explained to the whole class * has itchy legs and that is why he doesnt sit on the carpet.

Can your dd wear trousers? Or sit on a chair?

Joy oh joy!

DD1's new classroom is brill. It only has a very small space that is carpeted, the rest is covered with lino type of stuff. Not all the children can sit on the carpet, so some have to sit on the lino. Resourceful dd1 has worked out that hard floor coverings don't usually irritate her, so has nominated herself to always sit on the floor. I overheard her telling the teacher toady that she would do it because "you won't let me sit on a mat so my legs don't get sore". The very embarassed teacher appologised to me, and said she hadn't realised the problem was so bad, and upset dd so much.

So now dd has the choice of hard floor, or her own mat to sit on, all without me having to do any amount of demanding!

(sorry if this sounds so smug BTW, it's just nice that something has finally gone well for us)