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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

My baby got a heat rash at nursery

152 replies

Galou · 06/09/2021 21:21

My baby girl is almost 9 months and today was her first full day at nursery after a 2 weeks settling period.

When I went to pick her up she was red in the face, her hair was greasy with the moisturiser I'd ask the nursery staff to apply on her for her eczema, had dirt trapped between her fingers and in the creases of her neck and arms, food on her face and fingers.... but, most shocking of all, a heat rash at the back of her neck!

My husband says I worry too much and that it's normal that babies and kids get messy and it's part of life, I shouldn't make a fuzz about it.

I'm thinking, we are paying the equivalent of our mortgage for a reputable nursery, they should be able to keep my precious little girl clean and comfortable! Am I being unreasonable?

Also, I always make sure she has lots of different clothes in her bag in case it gets hot or cold or it rains... how come she got a heat rash??? Did they not check if she was hot?

My heart is breaking and I don't seem to be able to separate my anxious mummy feelings from my objective thoughts ... what has been your experience with nurseries? Shall I speak to them? Do I speak to the key person looking after my daughter or do I speak to the management team? I don't want to be that mum but I just can't except that this is how it's going to be....

OP posts:
NiceGerbil · 06/09/2021 22:11

What sort of heat rash? You mean she'd been out in the sun?
Or?
I'm super pale and so are my kids and I'm not sure what you mean.
Ok just looked it up- prickly heat.

What did she go in wearing?
Are you sure it's heat rash and not something else? Where on body?

Why are you sending so many clothes? What is she dressed in?

Tbh they put the cream on (and it's greasy for eczema obv so not sure of the complaint there) and grubby . 9 months crawling? Better than being put in one place in other to keep clean surely.

SNKB14 · 06/09/2021 22:11

My DS1 has just started reception after attending nursery from 9 months. Honestly cannot recall a time when I picked him up with food all over his face! Doesn’t take 2 seconds to run a wet wipe over their face to ensure they look presentable. I’m sure the staff wouldn’t leave food all over their face after eating

NiceGerbil · 06/09/2021 22:12

Oh sorry you answered most of that and I missed the most important thing!

Was she happy???

crazyguineapiglady · 06/09/2021 22:12

It was really hot today so the red face and heat rash is pretty understandable!

Presumably you'd asked them to put the eczema cream on her? It is greasy. If she then played in the garden then dirt will stick to the cream.

The only thing I would have a problem with is food on her face and hands. I'd mention it and ask if they normally wipe babies' hands and faces after meals.

CottageOnTheHill · 06/09/2021 22:13

I’m surprised that a 9 month old child would come home grubby or dirty from nursery tbh. It’s basic care to wash hands and face after food. I can appreciate a toddler whose mobile coming home grubby but I would have had a lot to say if a 9 month old had come home dirty.

OP I would ask to speak to the Manager. I’d find the care your child received completely unacceptable.

possibleimpossible · 06/09/2021 22:13

From a nursery nurse and a mother's perspective children get dirty so a bit of dirt, paint, sand etc here and there wouldn't bother me it would just show they've had a good day playing at nursery. Food though should always be cleaned off, we would wash hands and faces before and after every meal so there's really no excuse for that.
As for the heat rash it can happen very easily in babies and young children who can't regulate their own temperatures yet so I'd probably dress in layers and ask nursery to remove them as it warms up rather than a full outfit change. You need to remember that they will have a 1:3 ratio in the baby room and if every parent asked for a full change of clothes when it got warmer they'd be changing clothes all day.

Kanaloa · 06/09/2021 22:14

This wouldn’t be acceptable to me. When I’ve worked in baby room we would wipe every child with a hot flannel/wet wipes before getting them out of their seat after eating.

When I hear ‘messy child is a happy child’ I think about a bit of paint under fingernails or a bit of puffy paint on sleeves, or ruffled clothing from playing outside, not dirt in neck creases and food left on hands and face. That’s just dirty and would be uncomfortable for a baby, especially one who already has a skin condition.

There’s messy and there’s dirty.

SylvanasWindrunner · 06/09/2021 22:15

Was she happy?

DD often comes home a bit filthy - they do apologise if she's particularly messy but I send her in cheap clothes and she has a bath so I don't mind. It's the sign of a good day here! They do clean them and wipe hands and face throughout the day, but they do a lot of messy play and a bit of dirt won't hurt them - it's probably more distracting to interrupt their play by trying to wipe them all the time.

NiceGerbil · 06/09/2021 22:16

What was she wearing?

Trying to remember. 9 months. Short sleeve tee and shorts cotton maybe? Like sleep thing v loose and thin. Plenty suncream. Cardy or something if needed.

Nappies are hot.

Kanaloa · 06/09/2021 22:16

I would say layer with clothes though - a vest and romper with a top and cardigan is easier to keep cool than jeans and a jumper which is harder to remove layers from.

ittakes2 · 06/09/2021 22:18

For me the level of dirtiness is worse than the heat rash. My son gets excema and heat rash without even wearing clothes.

NiceGerbil · 06/09/2021 22:18

Eczema is happier when not bothered too much by hot flannels and esp baby wipes.

Depends on the type maybe. Both mine had it DD2 fairly badly and unless weeping etc wiping it with hot and esp chemicals even mild was not good for mine and reading online that's uncommon.

NiceGerbil · 06/09/2021 22:19

@Kanaloa

I would say layer with clothes though - a vest and romper with a top and cardigan is easier to keep cool than jeans and a jumper which is harder to remove layers from.
Depends on the weather surely.

Down here that's way too many clothes.

VaguelyInteresting · 06/09/2021 22:19

My child went to a forest school nursery. I had to scoop mud out of his ears or from up his nose many nights. I have only JUST managed to get his scalp entirely free of dirt a week after his last session.

I personally think YABU.

Heat rash happens - my DS often walks with one on his check or around his neck if he’s been asleep a bit scrunched up on his duvet. It’s not a sign of dangerously high temps. Just a bit of skin irritation.

Kindly- I do think you need to calm down.

VaguelyInteresting · 06/09/2021 22:20

Chest*

Kanaloa · 06/09/2021 22:20

@NiceGerbil

Eczema is happier when not bothered too much by hot flannels and esp baby wipes.

Depends on the type maybe. Both mine had it DD2 fairly badly and unless weeping etc wiping it with hot and esp chemicals even mild was not good for mine and reading online that's uncommon.

It doesn’t need to be a hot flannel, of course if that irritates your child cool water can be used, but in my experience it isn’t best practice in childcare to leave children covered in food after mealtimes.
MajorCarolDanvers · 06/09/2021 22:20

Changes of clothes are only needed for accidents. There is not need to change clothes because of dirt.

TBH the dirtier they are then the most fun has been had.

Kanaloa · 06/09/2021 22:21

@NiceGerbil

Of course it depends on the weather. What I’m saying is if you layer up then it is easier to remove clothes to keep the child cool. Of course you judge the weather based on where you personally live.

NiceGerbil · 06/09/2021 22:21

Gawd.

Warm bath with aveeno/ oat muslin or similar.
Play play wash.
Out cream done.

Why is the grubbiness a problem? I genuinely don't get it. 9mo are crawling. A bit of dirt/ food on face isn't doing any harm.

Kanaloa · 06/09/2021 22:23

It’s not a bit of food on her face. From the op it appeared to be a lot of dirt on her face, hands and arms.

I was just giving my experience, which is that in nurseries where I’ve worked we would wash the children’s hands and faces after eating. It kept them clean and comfortable - personally I don’t leave my kids with food on their hands and faces all day and wouldn’t want that at nursery either.

Crowtooyo · 06/09/2021 22:23

@LividLaVidaLoca

They get filthy. Really, really filthy. And they never seem to wipe snotty noses. And rarely change clothes unless there’s shit.

These seem to be universal, I’m afraid. I now wash his shoes under the tap regularly.

As a childcarer this is simply not true. Kids noses are constantly snotty 🙄 I am always wiping noses and before you've even put the tissue in the bin it is snotty again!
BeaBeaBuzz · 06/09/2021 22:24

It’s pretty difficult to keep a xhild clean at nursery never mind one smothered in sticky cream. Perhaps a childminder/smaller setting would suit you better?

RiversideAnne · 06/09/2021 22:26

Definitely speak to them about the heat rash. I don’t think you can expect them to keep her spotless when she’s busy having fun, but she shouldn’t be getting a heat rash - they need to be more on top of that.

strawberryswirl3 · 06/09/2021 22:28

I worked in nurseries for several years. The heat rash might have been unavoidable if she does have sensitive skin but it should have been explained to you upon collection. As for the dirt- children get dirty, yes, but you wipe them after eating and you don't send them home with food on their hands/face. I always made sure to give each child a once over with a baby wipe if necessary and check they were clean. Sadly you do get some lazy and downright negligent practitioners and I've had to report them myself in the past.
There is a difference between 'play' mess (pen or paint on clothes, pen on hands, playdough under nails etc) and being covered in food and grime. You're definitely not being precious!

Fupoffyagrasshole · 06/09/2021 22:29

Hmmm my own baby got heat rash today in my care .. and a sticky neck and greasy hair from sun cream.. it was super hot …

It’s hard to know really if they did enough to prevent it - you probably should speak to them about it if you are worried though