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.

Er, can I just take exception to the comment "I think a few mothers are being a bit precious about it (personally)" which related (I presume) to mothers who wish their child to have sun cream applied correctly (ie every couple of hours). It's not precious at all, it's to protect against skin cancer!

vwvic - that's terrible. I was just reading the link to a sun safety website on another thread last night. Apparently if you get badly burnt as a child, you're more likely to get skin cancer later on.

Can you make a really big fuss at the school/get some of the other parents on your side?

Apart from that, what about using a total sunblock on your dd?

IMO, children should be sent in with named sun cream and taught to put it on correctly and to only use their own cream.

Most damage occurs as children so no, it's not precious.

Yes, we have to label ds's. I thought that was normal as we had to do that at nursery and his childminders.

Have to say that there is no way I would want DD to go all day without having a top up of suncream. DD is quite a sweaty thing in the heat and suncream would not stay on that long - particuarly if children (as they are prone to do so) wipe their faces if hot, wash hands (and no doubts wrists) after going to toilet, etc.

I am not precious about it. I just want my child protected adequately from the sun, especially at mid day when the sun's intensity is at its orst. My SIL is Australian (and knows of several people whohave had skin cancer and/or scares) and she would go mad at the mere thought of her niece not being allowed regularly top ups of sun cream.

However, I do think it is madness that school teachers are not allowed to apply suncream to children properly. Little ones should not have that as their own responsibility. And it is also important that they are fully aware of any allergies, etc and act upon them - supervising sun cream application (with child's OWN suncream) for all children.

I think being 'furious' is an overreaction.

Personally I couldn't give two hoots who puts suncream on my child - if I gave it to dd1 to put on she'd be constantly slavering it on her face and would probably offer it to all and sundry. Teachers can't keep an eye on them all the time and neither your dd or the sun-cream girl understood about the excema. There was no malicious intent - why get so worked up?

At DD's nursery we also send in our own suncream, which is labeled with her name.

If a school teacher can't apply the cream - how bout showing your child how to use the suncream wipes?

I can fully understannd your concern about your child's allergy - but it is also worth remembering how important sun protection is for children too.

I must say that I would protest strongly should DSs school say "no suncream". I think it's irresponsible. Yes, a few children have allergies (and the itching/soreness must have been awful) but all children are susceptible to skin cancer.

"The children are not supposed to wear hats- justification for this is its not part of uniform."

That's awful!! When I worked at the internation school in Harare (thankfully only for a short time LOL) they used "slip, slop, slap" as a RULE for all the kids (admittedly there was no uniform) and if any of them (no matter what age) was caught outside without suncream on or a hat (never saw any going topless LOL) they were either made to put them on there and then, or forced to go inside for break/lunch.

I'd write a letter complaing about hats not being allowed.

And as for the inital point this thread was started about 4yrs old is too young for them to have suncream on their own!!

In Zimbabwe it was possible to buy sun blocks which lasted bascically all day they worked very well - I'm fair skinned and blonde haired - so very susseptable to sunburn and not once did I get burned applying the 'all day' stuff just once, despite washing hands, wiping my face and sweating

• don't understand why the manufacturers here don't do the same thing (well actually I do MONEY).

P20 is an all day one, Gwenick but has no UVA protection at all.

never even heard of p20

But then I'm betting that all the one day ones in the country (if there are any that offer UVA protection) are probably ridiculously priced

First of all - enid - I never said I was furious. And although you may not give two hoots about who puts suncream on your child, I do because she reacts badly to many of them. It flares up her eczema and exacerbates her asthma as well. I'm also sure there are some children who have a much more severe reaction to the cream. As bobbybob said, some of the suncreams do have peanut oil in.

And soupdragon, when i said 'I think a few mothers are being a bit precious about it (personally)' what I meant was that I thought it was very precious to make your child sneak a bottle of suncream in her pocket so that she can have it with her. It's completely flouting the school rules which are there for a reason. If she really wanted the child to have suncream on, she could have made a case for it to the teacher and asked her to keep a named bottle behind the desk for her. But I know this mother and I know she couldn't be bothered to speak to the teacher about it so went about it her own way.

Personally, I think the school rules are irresponsible. The sun is hottest between 11 and 3 (?) which is precisely when the children are out and when the morning sunscreen has worn off. All children are suceptible to skin cancer and I would not support a school rule that put my child at risk from this. DS1 (year 1) goes to school with a Boots daily Takeaway pack in his school bag to put on at lunchtime and he did this last year in reception too.

A better school rule would be for all children to have named sunscreen and be taught how to use it, with peanut brands banned. I honestly believe that this is what we should want from a school, not schools which ban sunscreen completely and others which ban hats. Those things are irresponsible, not a parent wishing to protect her child from burning and possible skin cancer.

I agree with you. Banning hats is ridiculous - I also think when they plan playgrounds, they should be forced to have shady areas for the children as well. Vwvic - your school's policies sound like a nightmare! Sun cream is not banned at our school but the policy is that if you want your child to have it, you have to speak to the teacher and she takes responsibility for it NOT the child (I suppose as much to stop them doing stupid things with it like squirting the bottle or eating it!!).

I just have a really hard time getting my head round people who flout sensible rules.

FWIW, had DS been the child who put sunscreen on yours, he would have been given a Stern Talking To. I have always made it clear that his cream is for him alone.

I agree that school's outside spaces are generally poorly designed wrt sun protection. I guess the problem is we get comparitively little sun and shadey places dry out much slower in our more normal damp weather. And money's short so it gets spend on education first.

Hats should be part of the summer uniform for all schools - in the school colours so they all look the same

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I still have my hat on from gardening earlier!! And my sunscreen!

DSs have sunscreen on too (and had hats) but are now inside because it's the hottest part of the day.

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Yes I forgot to take it off

I have to wear a hat as I get too hot and get headaches otherwise. And I'm fairly moley and have had a couple removed already (turned out benign).

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DSs have the tops and shorts. All in ones look cute on little kids - DS1 (6) has one but it looks a little odd now.

ooooh soupie, v impressive!

Hats make my head so hot I end up sweating buckets and all the suncream runs and I look all streaky so I end up putting the hat on and off and my hair gets stuck to my head and I look soooo ridiculous (then other mothers swan around looking as cool as a cucumber with perfect swishy hair - I can never understand it)

I gave myself mild sunstroke on honeymoon by not wearing my hat. Felt like sh*t for 24 hours! Havne't forgotten it since. It's a not very glamourous beige cap though with not very swishy hair