Young adults and teenagers generally come to accept breakouts as a fact of life. But contrary to popular wisdom, preadolescent children can suffer from acne, too. This is often especially frustrating and embarrassing, since it is unexpected, and since in many cases the child will be alone among his peers in experiencing breakouts. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep your child's skin clear.

Nutritional Overhaul In many cases the culprit behind childhood acne is an imbalanced diet. Take a look at your child's daily diet and be sure they're getting the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants they need for healthy skin. Those school lunches probably aren't doing their complexions any favors. Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables can do wonders for preventing an early onslaught of acne.

Cleansing It's no secret that kids don't put much stock in personal cleanliness, and this can sometimes lead to complexion issues. Often kids forego washing their face at all, and if they do cleanse their face its typically with bar soap. If you're concerned about child acne prevention, provide your child with a gentle, alcohol-free and oil-free cleanser make especially for the face. Buy your child a very mild exfoliating product and show him or her how to use it to slough off dead skin.

Hands Off If your child is experiencing premature acne and you notice they have a habit of touching their face frequently, there's very likely a correlation. Dirt and oil on the fingers are easily transferred to the face, where they clog pores. Teach your child to avoid touching their face or resting their head in their hands. If they are going to touch their face for any reason, they should wash their hands first.

It is very difficult and upsetting for a child to be the first among their peers to experience acne. Teach them to take good care of their skin and explain the causes of acne to them. You should see their blemishes decrease, and you'll both have much more peace of mind.