Kids in Control is a programme to help children with eczema take control and manage their scratching. You'll find out more about...

Eczema and eczema treatments

How scratching makes eczema worse

Tips to help with itchy skin

Other children's stories about how they've coped with itchy skin

Help to take control of your scratching

Eczema is a condition that makes skin dry and itchy.

The skin can be dry and sometimes flaky.

Eczema can be different colours:

In lighter skin, eczema may look red.

In darker skin, eczema may look grey, purple or brown.

1 in every 5 children have eczema

Five million people in the UK have eczema

You are not alone!

"My eczema really annoyed me and I used to scratch all the time but now I know what I'm doing I scratch much less than I used to."

Our skin is a natural barrier that stops things from getting into our bodies and keeps water in the skin. 

When you have eczema this barrier doesn't work as well. It lets water out which makes your skin dry.

It also lets in things that irritate the skin, like soap. This can cause the skin to react, making it itchy and sore.

Many people can feel confused about how to treat eczema. It can be hard to know what treatments to use and when as eczema can change over time.

There are 2 main treatments for eczema...

Both of these treatments are needed. This is because they help control eczema in different ways. Find out about each of these creams...

There are 2 main treatments for eczema...

moisturising creams help to...

Most people with eczema will need to use moisturising creams every day.

What are steroid creams?

This 3 part programme will help you heal your skin by:

Helping you to reduce scratching and rubbing of your skin.

Understanding how to use your eczema treatments.

"It’s really hard to ignore the itch, even though I know it will be worse if I scratch it. I also know that if I start scratching I will break my skin and it will take longer to heal. Kids in Control helped me figure out what works to help control that itch."

This is because scratching makes your skin release chemicals. This makes you feel even more itchy, which makes you want to scratch more!

This is called the itch-scratch cycle. 

Scratching and rubbing can worsen the itch.

Scratching can also damage your skin. This can make it bleed or let bugs in so it can get infected. Damaged skin also lets water escape more easily which can cause dryness.

Damaged skin can feel itchy while it is healing. This can add to the itch-scratch cycle.

"As I got older I found what works to help control that itch."

Worsens eczema

Adds chronic eczema to acute eczema: the skin gets thicker and more inflamed –  the face, neck and hands are the easiest to scratch - so have the highest chance of getting chronic eczema

What does scratching do?

Prevents healing

Can introduce infection

Itch and scratching do not always go together!

A vicious cycle is formed. For your skin to heal we need to treat all parts of the cycle.

Scratching can become a habit so we need to work on learning new ways to manage the itch instead of scratching.

This will help break the cycle of itching and scratching.

The first step is to start noticing when we scratch.

This helps us to:

Learn why, when and where you scratch.

Interrupt your scratching.

Refocus.

insert video

Twice a week and for one hour at the weekend.

A fixed period after school.

Twice a week for an hour at school.

As soon as you notice you feel itchy and start scratching you should record it as a scratch.

A scratch can involve actually scratching with your nails, rubbing against something else or using something against your skin to scratch it (e.g. a hairbrush or comb).

When you notice that you start to scratch you should use the counter on your mobile or the clicker counter to make a note of this in your booklet.

If you scratch one part of your body once, this is one scratch. If you scratch another part of your body this is a 2nd scratch.

Scratch arm = 1 scratch

Scratch arm + leg = 2 scratches

Scratch arm + leg + chest = 3 scratches

In your booklet you will have space to record how many times you scratch and the situation you were in.

This helps you understand about why you might scratch. For example...

If you scratch when you are stressed...

try doing something to relax.

If you scratch when you are watching television, this may be a sign that you are bored...

try doing something else with your hands.

If you scratch when you are feeling angry...

try doing something that makes you calm.

If you scratch when you feel down in the dumps...

try doing something that makes you feel happy.

Once you know the times and reasons you scratch you can change what you do.

The next part will go through some ideas!

Activities to help you change your behaviour

Squeezing the lemons activity

1) Make a fist for 15 seconds

(imagine you are squeezing lemons and the juice is running through your fingers).

2) Think about a happy memory or do some deep breathing while 'squeezing the lemons'.

3) When you're done - Are you still feeling itchy?

4) If you are, repeat the squeezing the lemons activity.

5) Keep going until the itchy feeling goes away.

Claws into paws activity 

You can also think of putting your nails away by making a fist or imagining you are like a cat;

Turn your claws in into paws

You can also think of putting your nails away by making a fist or imagining you are like a cat;

Turn your claws in into paws

Deep breathing activity

To help you relax:

Take a deep breath in through your nose and push it down into your tummy.

Trace your hand activity

You can use your hand to focus your breathing.

Put one hand up in front of you.

Positive thinking activity

To help when you feel down

​Think about a happy memory or a place that makes you feel good - like the beach.

Sing a song or listen to some music.

Dance...

Jump up and down...

or play catch.

Distract your hands

If you feel bored or need to do something with your hands use a fidget toy such as a...

Fidget spinner

Stress ball

Blue tack

Fidget popper

Fidget spinner

Stress ball

Blue tack

Fidget popper

See how Rukshana found a fidget toy helpful.

5,4,3,2,1 activity

Thinking about each of your 5 senses can help you to stop thinking about your itch.

Lets see what you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste.

5 Things you can see.

4 things you can touch.

3 things you can hear.

2 things you can smell.

1 thing you can taste.

5 Things you can see.

4 things you can touch.

3 things you can hear.

2 things you can smell.

1 thing you can taste.

5 things you can see.

4 things you can touch.

3 things you can hear.

2 things you can smell.

1 thing you can taste.

5 Things you can see.

4 things you can touch.

3 things you can hear.

2 things you can smell.

1 thing you can taste.

5 Things you can see.

4 things you can touch.

3 things you can hear.

2 things you can smell.

1 thing you can taste.