Parent-guided home skin care for infants via a WeChat platform: a study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled

Tongling Yang1, Yuying Chen2, Yalan Dou3

  • 1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Trials
|November 1, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This study investigates a WeChat-based program to guide parents in infant skin care, aiming to reduce diaper dermatitis and eczema. Findings may highlight digital health

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric dermatology and digital health interventions.
  • Infant health and parental guidance strategies.

Background:

  • Diaper dermatitis and eczema are prevalent infant skin conditions.
  • Effective management relies on parental adherence to home skin care.
  • WeChat offers potential for health promotion and self-management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate a WeChat-based parent-guided home skin care scheme for infants.
  • To assess the scheme's effectiveness in preventing diaper dermatitis and eczema in infants aged 0-6 months.

Main Methods:

  • A clustered randomized controlled trial conducted in eight Chinese maternity wards.
  • Participants: Infants aged 0-6 months (born Aug 1-Sep 30, 2024) with parental consent.
  • Outcomes: Incidence of diaper dermatitis and eczema at 1, 3, and 6 months; hospital visits; skin care knowledge.

Main Results:

  • Primary outcome: Incidence of diaper dermatitis in 1-month-old infants.
  • Secondary outcomes: Incidence of diaper dermatitis and eczema at 3 and 6 months, hospital visit frequency, and skin care knowledge.

Conclusions:

  • Digital health interventions via platforms like WeChat can guide parents in infant skin care.
  • Potential to improve infant skin care practices and decrease common skin conditions in early infancy.
Abstract