Illness is a great leveller. Not just in who it impacts on directly, but in how it sends out ripples of stress, which can have lingering effects. Children who are ill can exacerbate this, because they are that much more vulnerable, and ask more of us, in both physical and emotional terms.
Working parents have additional pressures at home as well as the workplace, and the danger is that the challenge of balancing the demands of both can become too stressful. Having an ill child is likely to further pile on the pressure, and increase the likelihood of stress.
Stressful Conditions
Parents have justifiable anxieties about their children. Some of these anxieties arise from childhood conditions that are distressing, if relatively commonplace.
“Young children and toddlers often experience skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis,” comments Jae Rance, founder of, Winchester-based, Scratchsleeves. “These are irritating and upsetting for the child, and cause a great deal of distress for the parents.”
Looking after a child who has an irritating skin condition is likely to have effects that spread into other areas of life.
“Parents have sleepless nights from the worry, and if they are then having to go to work, or consider taking unscheduled time off, then this can be a real pressure,” Jae points out.
“At Scratchsleeves, we focus on practical solutions for children with irritating skin conditions,” Jae states. “But we are also helping to give working parents reassurance and peace of mind, so that they can carry on with their busy lives.”
What is the Impact of Workplace Stress?
Stress is an adverse reaction to excessive pressure or demands. These pressures and demands may not originate in work, but often it is at work that their impact will be felt.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has estimated that work-related stress costs about £3.7 billion a year.
“Stress is no respecter of rank or position, so if the pressure of looking after a sick child carries through to working life, anyone can be vulnerable, from a chief executive to a junior administrator”
Jae Rance, Scratchsleeves
Employers have a duty of care to their workers when it comes to managing stress. This can become a complex – and costly -issue if a major contributing factor is what is happening at home.
To find out more about Scratchsleeves’ solutions for relieving your children’s irritable skin conditions, please call 01962 890210 or visit their online shop.
Alternatively, to discover how they have improved other parents’ lives, please visit scratchsleeves.co.uk
