Secondary School Resources
Young People
Parents and Carers
Schools and Teachers
Links and Sheets

Eczema at Secondary School

This page focuses on advice and resources for secondary schools and teachers. It includes information on how eczema can impact young people at school, and tips for managing eczema and getting support at school.

We also have a list of helpful website links and downloadable or printable sheets with extra information.

Navigating Seconday School with Eczema

Eczema is more than just itchy skin. It is a long-term inflammatory skin condition that can cause itching, pain, discomfort, tiredness, and difficulty concentrating. Symptoms can change day to day, and children may experience flare-ups (a worsening of symptoms) that affect their learning, confidence, and participation in school.  

Eczema can also lead to infection if not managed properly. Around one in five children and young people in the UK have eczema, meaning that it impacts a significant number of pupils at school. Young people with eczema might also have allergies or asthma. 

Watch Eczema Outreach Support’s ‘Supporting Young People with Eczema’ video on how eczema impacts the life of a young person and what you can do to help.

Small adjustments can greatly improve a pupil’s comfort, confidence and ability to learn. When schools understand eczema and support young people to manage it, pupils are more likely to stay engaged in class, attend consistently, manage treatments successfully, and feel safe and included. 

Moving from primary to secondary school, moving up a school year, or joining a new school can be particularly challenging for children and young people with eczema. These transitions often happen at the same time as pupils are expected to take on more responsibility for managing their own health and treatments. This shift towards self‑management can feel overwhelming. 

Secondary school routines can also make managing eczema more difficult. Pupils may struggle to find enough time or privacy to apply creams during the school day. Larger, busier environments may increase exposure to triggers such as heat, dust, sweat from PE, harsh soaps, or pollen during outdoor activities. 

As a visible condition, eczema can also draw attention from peers, including unwanted comments or questions about it and, unfortunately, appearance-related bullying and teasing is common. Young people with eczema might feel self-conscious about how their skin looks, which might make them feel anxious about doing things that could draw attention to themselves and their skin, such as wearing shorts or short sleeved tops during PE, going swimming, or even raising their hand in class. 

Eczema can affect pupils in many ways, including: 

  • Poor sleep: Eczema can be particularly itchy and uncomfortable at night, meaning that young people might have difficulties sleeping and waking up in time for school. They might also be tired, irritable and have trouble concentrating at school.  
  • Difficulty concentrating: Discomfort, pain, itchiness, and unpleasant sensations from using lots of creams can impact learning and make it harder to stay focused. 
  • Triggers at school: Environmental triggers at school, such as heat, can make eczema symptoms worse, called a flare-up.  
  • Managing eczema: Young people with eczema often have to apply creams throughout the day to prevent flare-ups. This can be time-consuming and difficult to fit into the school schedule. Pupils may feel uncomfortable applying moisturiser in public spaces and not feel confident to ask for a private and hygienic space to apply their creams. Creams may make hands slippery, affecting handwriting or practical tasks. During flare‑ups it can be painful to write or to take part in activities like PE and swimming. 
  • Treatment Side Effects: Some young people with moderate to severe eczema use systemic medications which are taken orally or by injection. These can cause side effects including fatigue, nausea, and increased sensitivity to the sun.  
  • Absences and medical appointments: Applying creams every morning to manage eczema can be time consuming, especially because it can take time for them to be absorbed. This can be onerous for a young person and may mean that they need to arrive late. They may also have regular GP, dermatology or allergy appointments that cause absences during the school day. 
  • Mental health and wellbeing: Young people may feel self-conscious about visible eczema and avoid putting on creams if they fear standing out. Living with an unpredictable condition that needs consistent management can also have an impact on a pupil’s mood and leave them feeling anxious. Stress, such as from starting a new school or preparing for exams, can worsen eczema and lead to flare-ups, making learning and exam days more challenging. 
  • Teasing or bullying: Visible differences (conditions that affect someone’s appearance) including eczema can unfortunately lead to unsolicited comments and questions, and even appearance-related bullying and teasing. 
  • Links with SEND: There is research to suggest links between eczema and some neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. Children with sensory needs might also find applying creams more challenging and need additional support.  

You can find more information on the impact of eczema on school on the Eczema Care Online website: Studying and work | ECO. 

The good news is, there are lots of things you can do to support a pupil with eczema at school.  

Every pupil with eczema will have different needs so it is helpful to discuss this with the pupil and their parents/carers. Taking a personalised, flexible approach helps pupils feel safe, comfortable, and included. It’s important to do this in a private space because discussing eczema publicly can draw attention to a pupil’s skin and make them feel self-conscious.  

This might include:  

  • Providing an ‘Eczema Champion’: have a nominated, trusted teacher or staff member who can check in about the pupil’s wellbeing and treatment regularly and support them during flare-ups. Many young people lack confidence to speak up about their eczema and teachers can play a key role in advocating for them by making them feel heard and ensuring they have a supportive school environment for managing their eczema. You should also provide an alternative staff contact who the young person can speak to if their Eczema Champion is away. 
  • Transition days: consider having a day before the start of term where a young person with eczema can attend school and work with their trusted teacher to plan where and how they will apply their creams and discuss adjustments school can make to help them.  
  • Peer support: Eczema is a common skin condition. You could consider setting up a peer support network of pupils with eczema to make new pupils feel more confident and learn from pupils who have been managing their eczema at secondary school for a while. 
  • Identifying a pupil’s self-management and support needs: each pupil will have different triggers and self-management routines. Work with the young person and their parents/carers to plan how they will undertake this at school. Many families use a healthcare plan, which they may want to share with the school/Eczema Champion. This may include:   
  • When and how often they need to apply creams during school hours.  
  • How their treatment plan changes when their eczema is flared up. 
  • Ensuring the young person has access to a private, hygienic space to apply creams. Disabled or staff toilets are not a suitable location for this. You should also ensure there is a contingency plan if this room is ever not available.  
  • Maintaining privacy by helping the young person to apply their cream discretely when they need to and making sure other teachers know about this. 
  • Adjustments and adaptations: discuss what the school can do to help young people manage their eczema at school. For example: 
  • Uniform adaptations: Synthetic fabrics used in school uniforms can irritate the skin. You could allow them to wear natural fabrics such as cotton, particularly during a flare-up, or long sleeves, leggings, or sports compression garments when exposed to pollen outside during the summer. Where possible, offer optional adjustments to all pupils to avoid singling out one child and making them feel self-conscious or different. 
  • Flexible learning arrangements: allowing a pupil to come in later if applying their creams takes a long time in the morning or they are having a flare-up which is affecting their sleep. Providing materials to allow a young person to catch-up on missed lessons due to attending GP and hospital appointments or providing the option for home-learning when necessary. Allow the use of laptops if eczema is making their hands sore or applying creams makes it difficult to hold a pen. 
  • Reduce environmental triggers: there are various environmental triggers at school that can irritate a young person’s skin when they have eczema. These can be hard to avoid and vary for each individual, but common triggers include heat, sweating, pollen, dust, and certain synthetic fabrics such as those used in some school uniforms. Here are some ideas to help avoid triggers at school: 
  • Heat and dust: avoid seats next to radiators or on carpets and ensure good ventilation, or a fan is available in the classroom. 
  • Pollen: offer alternatives to outdoor activities like PE when the pollen count is high, let the pupil sit on a chair or bench rather than grass, and allow protective clothing such as long sleeves or leggings. 
  • Practical subjects: be aware that DT, woodwork, or metalwork can irritate the skin. The young person may benefit from wearing gloves, washing their hands regularly, and being allowed to reapply creams in a private space during class. 
  • Support emotional wellbeing and mental health: eczema can impact confidence, mood, anxiety and self‑esteem. Schools can help by referring pupils to school‑based mental health or pastoral teams, referring to counselling through the school or local authority, creating safe, non‑judgemental spaces for pupils to talk, and encouraging peer support. Stress can make eczema worse, particularly during times like exams. You can support pupils by making sure they have access to treatment during their exams, they are seated in a cool place and providing a scribe or computer if needed.  
  • Consider the impact of eczema on neurodiverse pupils: children with autism or ADHD may find the feeling, sensation, or smell of their creams unpleasant. They may also find it hard if there is a change in their treatment plan due to having a flare-up. Sensory needs, attention differences, or emotional regulation challenges can all affect eczema management. SEND teams can help coordinate support and adapt plans for the pupil’s wider needs. Considering how this might impact their ability to learn and giving them support and time can help. You can find out more about eczema and sensory issues on the Eczema Outreach Support website: EczemaAndSensoryIssues.FINAL_.pdf 

Eczema Outreach Support have developed a school’s factsheet to help schools understand what they can do to support pupils with eczema: [INSERT LINK TO TEACHER FACTSHEET]. Â