What should a school nurse eczema newsletter include?

Cover the common in-school triggers for eczema flares (dry classroom air, scented soaps, classroom pets, wool fabrics, sweating during PE), the process for keeping prescription moisturizers or topical medications at school, PE accommodations for students who experience flare-ups after exercise, what the nurse can do during a flare at school, and what signs indicate that a student needs to be sent home or seen by a physician. Most families of students with eczema have never thought about what the school needs to know.

What in-school triggers commonly worsen eczema?

Dry air from classroom heating systems in winter is one of the most common school triggers, along with scented soaps in school bathrooms, harsh paper towels, wool or synthetic fibers in uniforms, sweating during physical education, chalk dust in older classrooms, and in some schools, exposure to classroom animals. Contact allergens like nickel in jewelry or belt buckles also cause localized eczema reactions in some students.

Can a student keep prescription moisturizer at school?

Prescription topical medications like corticosteroid creams require a physician order and a signed parent authorization, the same as any prescription medication. Non-prescription moisturizers are more complicated: they are considered cosmetic products in many districts and may or may not require authorization to be applied at school by staff. Some districts allow students to self-apply non-prescription moisturizers. State your school's specific policy clearly in the newsletter.

Should students with eczema receive PE accommodations?

Exercise-induced sweating is a known eczema trigger, and some students experience significant flares after physical education. Accommodations might include permission to shower and change after PE, a brief rest and cool-down period before returning to class, access to moisturizer immediately after PE, and in severe cases, a physician-recommended modification of certain PE activities like swimming in chlorinated water. These accommodations require a physician recommendation and parent authorization.

Can Daystage help nurses communicate eczema management information to specific families?

Yes. Daystage lets nurses send a targeted health newsletter to the families of students with eczema or skin conditions on record. Including links to the school's moisturizer authorization form, the nurse's contact, and the PE accommodation request form in one message gives families everything they need to support their student's skin care at school.

School Nurse Eczema Newsletter

Eczema affects roughly 10 to 20 percent of school-age children, making it one of the most common chronic skin conditions the school nurse manages. For most students, eczema is manageable. For those with moderate to severe disease, unmanaged flares cause significant discomfort, missed school days, and difficulty concentrating in class. A school nurse eczema newsletter helps families set up the in-school support their student needs before flares start.

Identify the Most Common School-Based Triggers

Dry heated air in classrooms during winter months is one of the most consistently reported school triggers for eczema flares. Other common triggers include scented hand soaps in school bathrooms (a product over which most students have no choice), rough paper towels, synthetic or wool fibers in school uniforms, sweating during physical education, exposure to chalk dust, and in some schools, contact with classroom animals. Knowing which triggers are present in the school environment helps families prepare proactively rather than managing flares reactively.

Explain What the Nurse Can Do During a Flare at School

If a student's skin flares during the school day, the nurse can rinse the affected area with cool water, apply a prescribed topical medication per the authorization on file, or apply a non-prescription moisturizer if the school policy and parent authorization permit it. The nurse documents the episode and notifies the family. If the flare is severe enough to cause significant distress or is accompanied by signs of secondary infection (warmth, increased redness, oozing, or fever), the nurse will contact the family for pickup and recommend physician evaluation.

Cover the Authorization Process for Skincare Products

Prescription topical medications (corticosteroid creams, calcineurin inhibitors) require a physician order and a signed parent authorization form, the same process as any prescription medication. Non-prescription emollients and moisturizers vary by district: some require a parent authorization for staff application; others allow self-application by older students without a form. State your school's policy clearly. Families who assume the nurse can simply apply Vaseline from their bag without paperwork are often surprised by the requirement.

Describe PE and Exercise Accommodations

Sweating during physical education is a documented eczema trigger. Accommodations for affected students may include access to a mild moisturizer before or after PE, permission to shower and change after high-intensity activity before returning to the classroom, a cool-down rest period, and in some cases a physician-recommended modification of activities that involve significant sweating or water exposure. Swimming in chlorinated pools can trigger severe eczema for some students and may require a physician-authorized exemption with an alternative activity provided.

Template Excerpt: Eczema Management Support Notice

Here is a section you can adapt for the newsletter:

"If your student has moderate to severe eczema, please submit the following to the nurse before school starts: (1) A physician letter describing the condition and recommended school accommodations. (2) A parent authorization form for any prescription topical medication to be applied at school. (3) Any non-prescription moisturizer your student needs during the school day, with your signed authorization for nurse or self-application. Contact Nurse Martinez at nurse@school.edu to set up a brief pre-school meeting."

Address Scented Products in the Classroom Environment

Some classroom environments include scented cleaning products, air fresheners, or personal fragrances that trigger eczema flares in sensitive students. If a specific classroom or shared space is a known problem, the nurse can work with the facilities coordinator to review cleaning product use in that area. Families of students with chemical sensitivities connected to eczema should communicate those specific triggers to the nurse so an accommodation request can be made to the relevant teacher or facilities team.

Explain Secondary Infection Warning Signs

Open eczema lesions are vulnerable to bacterial infection, typically with Staphylococcus aureus. Signs of secondary infection include increased warmth and redness around the affected area, yellow or honey-colored crusting, oozing or weeping skin, or the student reporting increased pain rather than just itching. Any of these signs warrants same-day physician evaluation. Families should not assume that a worse-looking flare is just a worse flare; secondary infections require antibiotic treatment and can become serious if untreated.

Close With a Note on Supporting the Student's Comfort and Confidence

End with a brief note about the social dimension of eczema: visible skin conditions can attract unwanted attention and comments from other students. The nurse and counselor are both available to support a student who is experiencing teasing or social discomfort related to their skin. Bullying or unkind comments about eczema should be reported to the teacher or counselor. The nurse's contact and the counselor's contact should both appear at the close of the newsletter.

School Nurse Eczema Newsletter: Skin Care at School