DD home from nursery with sunburn.

[Confuzzeled]

DD (2.2) went to nursery on Friday morning, I picked her up at lunch time and she'd been plastered in sun cream as they'd been playing outside. I was fine with this and happy that they'd been safe about dd playing in the sun.

I picked her up at 5 today and because the room was dark compared to the bright sun I'd just walked in from, I didn't the red on her nose and cheeks. The new girl who started in the room today gave me feedback saying that I needed to provide sun cream and a sun hat (when dd had a sun hat with her today). When we got home I could see she has a red nose and rosy cheeks. She's drunk 2 cups of water and refused her favourite dinner of pasta. She is now having some ice cream as she's quite hot.

DD is my first child and I'm not used to having a child out in the sun. DD has quite olive skin, same as mine and I rarely burn. I don't know whether to complain to the nursery or if I'm being a bit precious.

[Morloth]

I would send some along from now on, but would say something to them.

Maybe just mention that she was quite burned and dehydrated when you picked her up and for them to please remember to apply the sunscreen/keep her hat on and make sure she gets enough to drink.

[SammyK]

I work in a nursery and in this situation would have slathered her in another child's suncream rather than let her play out without any on!

The fact she had a hat in her bag though and didn't wear it is bad - sounds like she had been missed out?

I would be mad too. Sunburn/heatstroke is horrible.

[Confuzzeled]

She was wearing her hat when she went in this morning so it wasn't hidden away or anything.

[catwalker]

You are not being a bit precious and I would most definitely mention it. I would also say that you will send your own suncream in future but, in the event that you forget, could they please make sure your DD isn't out in the sun without protection. If you've forgotten to send any in and they're not prepared to find any, they should keep her indoors or in the shade. You are paying them to look after your precious child. Of course you should take all reasonable steps to make sure they do this properly.

[fishie]

i don't think small children should be out in strong sunshine between (say) 12 and 2 either.

[LisaD1]

Hiya,

I'm a childminder so slightly different set up, although we all work to the same Ofsted Standards. I think it is totally unacceptable that nursery allowed your DD out in this heat without sun protection. If your DD did not have suncream they should have either used somebody elses or kept your DD in from the heat.

If it were me I would most definitely be having words with nursery!

Hope your little one is ok...

[SammyK]

fishie, tell that to our nursery manager - one of the girls said this to her today and she said they would never play out if we stuck to that. the nursery is open 8-6 so hardly accurate!

Luckily we have lots of shady covered areas and have been hyper vigilant about suncream, hats, sitting in shade with cool drinks etc.

[Colonelcupcake]

I would annoyed, especially as you had provided a hat, the sun cream issue they should have used someone elses or the nursery should have some just in case, or kept your dd indoors also I agree with fishie that small children shouldn't be out in the middle of the day

[Shoshe]

my mindees have been out in the garden today but all have had suncream (which I supply) at least 5 times, hat have been kept on (and dunked in the pool and put back on, if I feel they are getting a bit hot), and drinks are kept permanently full.

We also had lunch at 11.30 and then up to bed in the cool with the ceiling fan on, and slept till 2 (well one woke earlier and came and sat in the playroom with me)

There is no excuse for a child to be burnt.

Complain and ask to see there sun policy, then ask why it wasn't adhered to.

[Northernlurker]

I'm VERY laid back about my children but I would be furious about this! If they want you to supply sun cream and you haven't then they should have borrowed from someone else or rung you to make you aware so you could fix this straight away. The hats thing is wrong as well. Even if you hadn't bought a hat with you they should have sorted this - our nursery has a vat (literally) of spares! It isn't always easy to get a child to keep it on but that is their job and they have to do it. It is unaccepatable for your child to be unwell because of their neglect - because that's what we're looking at here and I don't say that lightly!

My dd3 has been at nursery all day and just as I would expect she was perfectly happy and chatty when I picked her up - playing outside with her hat on and visibly sunblocked! You need to speak to the manager about this tomorrow and get some assurances they won't mess up again!

[StealthPolarBear]

I agree with everyone else - DS's nursery has a spare hat box, and puts about an inch of sunblock on the children. If you don't have any then use someone else's - I can't see anyone getting annoyed about that!

[Tanith]

Definately should NOT have borrowed someone else's suncream! My DS is allergic to it. I would be very cross if anyone put suncream on him without my permission. I think it's bad practice to share any skin creams amongst the children, and why should other parents subsidise the ones who forget?

I'm a childminder and, if any child arrives without suncream, I put a light shirt on them and keep them in the shade. I found today that they self-regulated: simply didn't want to be outside in the middle of the day.

[SammyK]

My DS is also allergic to suncream tanith - but childcarers do know don't they if a child in their care has any allergies/skin issues.

As a parent I wouldn't begrudge another child having a dollop of mine's suncream. Was simply trying to point out there are other ways this could have been handled rather than letting a littly burn in the sun. There should be a box kept in nursery for each child with suncream with their name on it, a list of if any children have sensitive skin, and a big huge box of hats.

Anyway, hope your DD is ok OP.

[2anddone]

The preschool my ds goes to is great. You have to tick a sheet when you drop them off to say if you have applied the suncream before you have dropped them off. You also have to send a hat and suncream in their bag in case they are there longer than the 2 1/2 hour session so it can be reapplied. There is a big sign as you come into the preschool says simply
NO HAT OR SUNCREAM IN BAG OR NO TICK ON SHEET = NO OUTSIDE PLAY

[StealthPolarBear]

Didn't think of allergies Tanith, yes, that's a bit different. But if the staff know your DC usually uses it then why not? As for the subsidy - I can't see any parent begrudging enough sun cream to cover a child, as long as it doesn't happen all the time, which it shouldn't as the staff will then tell the parents.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

i would be

there is no reason why children should get burnt

did you cream your dd before you took her to nursery?

i know nurserys and cm can be different from a nanny,and with oftead and allergies etc

but

why on earth would a nursery send a youngster out in the sun without cream

i smoothered my guys in once cream at 8am today so ok for school and nursery, and then re applied at home before going in paddling pool

all 3 are un burnt

[LittleMonkeysMummy]

I picked my DD up from nursery today and the manager said that it was a real shame that many of the youngsters didn't get out today as parents hadn't provided sun hats and cream - in the parent booklet saying that they do not provide this as so many children are allergic to different makes!

[EyeballsintheSky]

Tanith you would seriously rather a child got burnt than spare a squirt of suncream? We really need a rolling eyes emoticon...

[popsycal]

We turned up at ds2's nursery (pre-school) with a sign asking if kids had sun cvcream on and if not, could they put some of nursery's cream on. I was astounded at the number of parents using the suncream. It was 21 degreeass here at 8am....

[smallorange]

Blimey, DD1's nursery school has a stock of sun hats and sun cream. When I went to pick her up, she was slathered in the stuff and they had all just had a big drink of juice after running about in the playground that afternoon.

Never occured to me to supply my own stuff though...

[Egg]

When I dropped DS1 at nursery this morning they applied sun cream to his face arms and legs while I was still there before he even went through to the main room (the children are allowed to go in and out of the garden more or less when they like). I was impressed. If we have ever forgotten his hat they have lots of spares and wont let them stay out without them. Likewise will use their own sun cream if for any reason I have not provided any.

[Tanith]

Eyeballs, yes we probably do need a rolling eyes icon: for people who take half-sentences out of context and don't bother to read the full post they're commenting on.

Children don't get burnt if they're properly cared for, regardless of whether or not they use suncream. Some children don't use suncream, either for allergies or because their parents would prefer them not to use it. What then? You're prepared to use someone else's anyway, completely disregarding parental choice and risking possible action from the parents? To say nothing of a possible trip to A&E due to a severe allergic reaction (my DS developed breathing difficulties with one brand). All because you think you know best about the needs of someone else's child?

[Confuzzeled]

I filled out a form when dd started nursery saying she wasn't allergic to any creams.

They had used their own sun cream on Friday so I just assumed they'd use it again.

DD had a fac40 on after face wash this morning as she wanted breakfast in the garden.

When I gave her a bath this evening I saw there was some cream on her ears. She has pretty thick hair so I didn't see it earlier. So obviously they had used some cream on her, just not enough to stop her burning. As I said before she has the same skin type as me and I don't burn unless I'm really over exposed.

Her cheeks are going brown but her poor nose has started to bubble and looks quite sore. Since she didn't want dinner I gave her some ice cream which she wolfed down. She had a cup of milk before bed with one small oat cake but wouldn't eat any more.

I hate the idea of tanning and I know that sun damage lasts for life so I am really angry. I'm going to speak to the room manager tomorrow morning and say that I want dd to have plenty of sun cream on and she needs more water as she was obviously dehydrated.

What worries me the most is that dd's key worker has been promoted and this new girl is dd's new key worker. She is so young and looks really inexperienced. Today she tried to tell me dd had only eaten the potato off her fish pie when I just about had a fit the other girl in the room said "Oh No, DD had soup". DD is the only veggie in the nursery and as a new key worker she should know that.

Aaaaaaargh are they feeding my dd meat and allowing her to run around in the sun unprotected?????????

[Blondeshavemorefun]

sounds like the nursery did try to cream her

as i said before i use the once creams nd they really do work

i would worry about the key worker not knowing your dd was a veggie

[Pinkjenny]

Sorry for slight hijack, what are 'once creams'? Do you just apply them once all day?

FWIW - I would be furious if dd got burnt at nursery. The signs for hats and suncream went up in April at our nursery. If dd had no cream or hat, I would expect her to be kept inside.