Escala’s Izzy Judd on Gateway 97.8

The majority of us have been exposed to a skin condition in one form or another, be that in ourselves, our children or simply those around us. A ‘skin condition’ could be as normal as dryness or eczema, yet new stats reveal that we are embarrassed by our kids if they have a condition. Over a third of parents (34%) admit to being embarrassed about their child’s appearance in public, and over half (55%) would stop their child from playing with another if the second party had an obvious skin condition – purely for the belief that it could be contagious.

Shockingly, these parents are most concerned with how others perceive them. Over a fifth (21%) worry about what others think of their parenting abilities, and 19% feel they are obliged to explain why their child looks different than others. 1 in 5 (20%) feel like they’ve failed as a parent because their child has a skin condition.

Living with such a condition – especially in infancy – can pose countless issues. A huge 77% of parents would worry that their child is in pain if their child was suffering from a skin condition. 67% would worry that the child was getting picked on/made fun of. In fact, if their children were suffering, parents’ biggest concerns would be that they’re getting teased or bullied (46%) and their low self-esteem (41%). Interestingly, 41% of parents feel that childhood eczema is just as debilitating (if not more so) than childhood diabetes.

55% of parents rated AVEENO® Baby products effective in managing dry skin. The AVEENO® Baby range has a number of moisturising and cleansing products that are also suitable for those prone to eczema.

Aston spoke to Izzy Judd, musician (was part of the classical music group escala) and Dr Stefanie Williams, dermatologist to help break down the stigmas around childhood skin conditions, and to offer advice to struggling parents.