KIDS & EDUCATION • WELLBEING
Skin DEEP
Child behaviourist Richard Daniel Curtis advises how to deal with problem skin
Wo r d s E V E H E R B E R T
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ccording to the British Association of Dermatologists, skin diseases represent 34% of disease in children, and 20% of children in the UK have eczema. Whilst the physical impact on children is often clear, the emotional side effects of living with a skin condition can sometimes be harder to spot. From struggling with treatment to overcoming the touch barrier, child behaviourist Richard Daniel Curtis shares his advice on supporting your child or loved one through problem skin. Q What impact can dry or eczema-prone skin have on my child’s behaviour and emotions? A Suffering with eczema can be incredibly frustrating, particularly for very young children unable to express the discomfort they are in. This means young children may scratch and pull at their skin, which can be very upsetting and they may cry until the eczema is calmed or soothed. “The biggest issue can be having to apply cream and ointments, as small children can see this as annoying and disruptive, for
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example when the cream is cold, or rubbing off on their clothes and belongings. Eczema can also affect their self-esteem and confidence, due to the appearance of the skin and resulting sore patches.
Q What are the emotional effects of living with dry or eczema-prone skin and what can I do to help? A As a parent, it can be upsetting and worrying to see your child in distress and discomfort when they are suffering from eczema. For the child, it can be like living with a permanent frustrating itch or worse. This can be incredibly upsetting for children, particularly when they are young and have not yet learned to use coping mechanisms to relieve the irritation or distract themselves from it. As a parent, you can reassure them, show empathy, and try to alleviate the symptoms as best you can. Q How I help my child understand and cope with their dry or eczema-prone skin? A The important thing is that you foster a range of coping strategies in your young child. It can be very hard for just one strategy to work consistently so it helps to be able to try different ways of coping. Resilience and coping strategies are key. For young children and babies, you will need to provide them. During childhood, as a child sees and experiences you emotionally regulate them, they learn to regulate themselves. The more
consistently you help to regulate their emotions during infancy, toddlerhood and young childhood, the more they will pick up or develop their own internal strategies for coping with emotions. You could try praising them, distracting them, and bathing or showering them to see what helps. Q Do you have any advice on how best to incorporate treatment into a child’s routine? A Ultimately, by the time children mature, we want them to be taking responsibility for treating their own eczema, whether this is using the right emollients, bath products or shampoos. Moisturising should be an automatic thing for them and you want it to be a habit rather than a chore. Nurture and develop these routines from early ages, so it is second nature to them. Proactive, routinedriven moisturising is far better than them (or you) trying to manage a sudden flare up. Q What is your advice for bonding with a child if touch is a barrier? A Touch is only one aspect of the bonding process. Skin-to-skin contact, eye and face contact, feeding and emotional regulation are just a few other aspects of the attachment and bonding process. It is upsetting if we have a child who we can see in pain or discomfort, and for them we need to leave aside our anxieties and focus on being an emotional rock for them. A B S O L U T E LY. L O N D O N
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