Some child put suncream on dd at school and now her eczema has REALLY flared up

[foxinsocks]

and to be honest, I'm quite pissed off. The school has a policy of not allowing children to bring suncream in themselves. I know some mothers find this annoying and this child hid some suncream in her pocket so that she could put some on at lunch break. Unfortunately, she put some on my dd's face and she was up in the night scratching and complaining about the stinging in her face.

The thing is she's not per se allergic to suncream but because she does sometimes get eczema, she tends to react to some creams (but not all). I'll speak to the school but this really is a parent problem. Some parents think it's irresponsible not to let a child have suncream during the day at school gggrrrr.

[bobbybob]

Surely sun cream for children would last all day and not need to be topped up. Do they wear hats/have shade cloths?

[hercules]

do the school put suncream on them themselves then?

[SoupDragon]

Actually, i do think it's irresponsible not to allow chldren to have sunscreen during the day. They shouldn't put it on other children though.

[foxinsocks]

yes!

I think a few mothers are being a bit precious about it (personally). They wear legionnaire's style caps at lunch break anyway and there's shade if they don't want to go in the sun.

[ebbie22]

How old is your child?

[misdee]

thats awful. it needs to be brought up with the school. if her face has flared up noticably then take a pic and take that ion,so they can see exactly what the prob is.

[foxinsocks]

no, I don't think the school put suncream on. We are told to put suncream on them before they come to school. The children have to have sunhats to play outside and as I said there is shade. I think this is the policy of most schools around here.

[hercules]

I have to say at ds's school they are expected to bring in their own sun cream and wear those legionairres hats as well. I would speak to the class teacher so she can remind the class that they put suncream only on themselves.

[hercules]

Does suncream last the whole day? I understood it has to be reapplied throughout the day.

[bobbybob]

Sunscreen on at say 8am should still be working at lunchtime, especially with a cap. If the kid put it on at lunchtime it would have been stuff all use anyway, because it needs to go on 30 minutes before going in the sun.

[foxinsocks]

4 but the youngest in her year in reception.

She knows she should have stopped her putting cream on but as this little girl made a big deal (apparently) about how she had sneaked this cream in, I think dd felt bad not 'sharing' in the game. I have told her off but she is only 4 and a bit desperate to be one of the bigger girls!

[bobbybob]

I think any use of sunscreen should be supervised at this age. Surely a 4 year old couldn't apply it properly anyway.

[foxinsocks]

yes thanks misdee, I might do that because it's half term and it should have calmed down by next week. I don't want them to think I'm completely mad but I also don't want it happening again to her.

[ebbie22]

To be honest

[bobbybob]

Some suncreams have peanut oil in (I think) so that could be a further piece of ammunition to explain to the school why they should support you.

[hercules]

Tbh I wouldnt trust suncream applied at 8 to last until lunchtime and I would send in suncream with my child although I would speak to the school first as to me it seems wrong for them not to have suncream.
I think they should be supervised whildt it is applied though.

[foxinsocks]

oh yes, I don't really blame the child who did it. I will ask them to put something in the newsletter. I just find it annoying - one of the other parents asked me the other day 'is your child really allergic to egg or is it because she doesn't like it.' There are a few children who have bad peanut allergies and I imagine had she asked one of them, they would have been tempted to lynch her!

I guess some parents have no experience of allergies at all and just don't realise what a pain in the backside it can be and how careful you have to be.

[bobbybob]

Maybe suncream is stronger here in NZ. Children's is factor 35/50 and says lasts 8-12 hours (less in water). It is so thick it gets applied by the square inch and ds has never got burnt even when outside at preschool at afternoon with no top up.

[foxinsocks]

thanks for all your help

I just checked our suncream bobbybob and it does say reapply after a few hours. I know there are others that last longer - I remember when we lived in SAfrica, there were plenty of sunblocks as thick as butter, that lasted for hours but maybe they don't do those over here.

I can understand why some parents would want their child to have it reapplied at some point, especially if they are very pale, but I can't understand why a parent would let their child take it to school themselves rather than give it to the teacher.

Will have a word and see what they think.

[ebbie22]

hope it helps,and you get tthe results you wanted xx

[stitch]

i thought most schools have a policy of not applying suncream

[ionesmum]

My dds have very fair skin and I will be horrified if they can't top up their sun cream when they get to school, but equally I would be furious if something like this was put on them without permission. I can't believe that schools can't apply suncream; ffs! Also the parent who allowed her child to bring it in is encouraging a disrespect for school authority; hardly a good lesson for a child, is it?

[vwvic]

Just thought I'd post a flip side. I totally take your point, my dd1 can only use certain sunblocks as others make her excema flare up. Our school also has a policy of not allowing sunblock in school in any form. There is also no shade whatsoever in the playground, and to make matters worse, has floor to ceiling windows along one wall of the classroom. The children are not supposed to wear hats- justification for this is its not part of uniform. Basically, there is no escape from the sun at all. Yesterday she came home with a terribly burnt face and neck from playing outside at lunchtime, and a burnt arm from sitting in the sun during class. All this despite using factor 48 on her before school.

I'm not precious- but ditto the grrr about being kept awake alll night, this time from my little one crying in pain. I don't expect much sleep tonight either, as now she's peeling and itchy.

[hercules]

That's awful. Ds's schoorl insist on cream and hats and the hat is one with a flap in school colour with logo.u
They also have water on their desks too.

[morningpaper]

It's a tricky one - my daughter is 2 but also really flares up with suncream on her face. It's a real bugger actually because the nursery staff are ALWAYS putting cream on her and her eyes ALWAYS swell up for a couple of days. I know they are just concerned but I'm having to drill into her that she mustn't let ANYONE put suncream on her face. Tricky when it's peer pressure though. No help to you but I do sympathise.