One of the many changes that your child will experience during puberty is pimples and acne. During puberty, the face and body begin to sweat more, and a layer of oil and dirt can build up and cause pimples. This is normal.
As well as getting pimples on their face, your child may also get pimples on other parts of the body like their back, chest and bottom.
Pimples can be a source of embarrassment for all young people. They can also be painful and make your child uncomfortable. For this reason, it is important for your child to learn how to take care of their skin.
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Conversation Starters
When I was growing up I used to get pimples on my face and body. You are growing up now and might get some pimples too. Would you like me to show you how you can take care of pimples?
Have you seen how tall your older sibling/cousin has grown? That is because he is growing and becoming an adult. He also has some red spots on his face. Do you know what they are called?
I have noticed you have a couple of red bumps on your face. These are pimples. Have you heard of them before? Do you know what you should do to take care of them?
Strategies for you to try
Visual schedules and social stories
Create a visual schedule for your child using pictures to help them remember the steps of washing their face. See the resource list below for printable cards you can use to create a visual schedule. Use a social story to normalise pimples and show them why it is important to take care of their skin. The resource list below contains example social stories you can use with your child.Backwards chaining
Backwards chaining is a good technique for teaching your child new practical skills. It involves breaking the skill into steps. At first, you do most of the steps and ask your child to complete the last step. For example, when teaching your child to wash their face you can:- Run the water for them
- Help them wet their hands
- Help them wet their face with their hands
- Help them wash their face with cleanser
- Help them wash off the cleanser with water
- Ask them to dry their face
Taking care of myself – Mary Wrobel
