Inspired by my back to school eczema tips, I wondered what letter a parent would write to inform the school of the child’s eczema and skincare.This is the final of a series of four #SkinishMom letters written to different schools (conjured up by my imagination and all schools are fictitious!).
Dear Principal,
I love fresh air and I know the school encourages your students to head outdoors and put in great effort in landscaping. The classrooms are not air-conditioned, allowing the children to appreciate the fresh air and be ‘closer’ to the greenery. I don’t use much air-conditioning at home too, given that it is a breeding ground for mold and bacteria as well as the much-feared ‘sick building syndrome’. It is also drying for the skin (an aspect that is bad for my child’s eczema) and potentially traps much dust.
But, in these hot summer months, my child with eczema literally can’t live without air-conditioning. His eczema is triggered by heat and sweat – the exact reason for why sweat irritates isn’t clear; it could be the minerals in the sweat, the crystallized sweat crystal or the changing skin pH. However, he really needs to be kept cool, I can offer the following solutions:
- I will get a portable air-conditioner for my child’s class (though I can’t possibly buy one for every class)
- Arrange for afternoon classes in an air-conditioned room like the computer room
- Seat my child under the fan where it is most cooling
- Allow him time to freshen up in between classes
I’m not a parent who sweat over the small stuff and this matter is certainly not small. I can have my child’s dermatologist write you a letter to justify the exceptions made for my child.
Thank you
#SkinishMom Disclaimer : A little tongue-in-cheek, don’t cut and paste and send to your child’s school!