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Original poster

Where do I stand with nursery on this?

34 replies

SummerDays95 · 22/06/2022 15:16

So I was called to collect DD from nursery as they believed she was having an allergic reaction to the suncream. Red and itchy eyes and crying lots. Sent her in the next day with the suncream we use at home with no problems. Same thing, red and itchy eyes. We think it might just be that she's getting way too sweaty and is rubbing her eyes when the suncream gets into them, which is hurting her and causing her to rub them more. I've asked them to not apply it to her face and just make sure she's wearing her hat. It's not worth it if she's crying for hours after being picked up and I can't keep getting called from work to give her a bath. They've said they can't not apply the suncream to her face, and she'll have to stay in all day if I say no suncream. Is there anything I can do about this? Would a sweatband work? They slather it on her because she's ginger and very fair, and even though we're always wearing suncream I don't think it's worth having it on if it's going to cause this much hassle. Will she just have to stay in all summer? 😟

OP posts:
Fulbe · 22/06/2022 15:20

Can't you try a different suncream that she's not allergic to? We use P20 which is a differnet formulation and only needs to be applied once per day.

Original poster
SummerDays95 · 22/06/2022 15:23

I don't think she's allergic, she's just sweating and rubbing it in her eyes! I have to provide one, otherwise I'd just put an 8 hour one on her before we leave.

OP posts:
Peaseblossum22 · 22/06/2022 15:23

Is it that they have residue from the other sun cream on their hands. Alternatively could you get a stick suncream or something that is non greasy ( Eucerin sun ? )do that it’s less likely to smear . Or an 8hour one which you apply before she goes

ChaiTea20 · 22/06/2022 15:24

Yes try a once a day suncream then they don't have to reapply, especially if she's then wearing a hat. My child's nursery used to get us to do this anyway.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 22/06/2022 15:24

Are You sure its not hay fever?

HangOnToYourself · 22/06/2022 15:26

ZeroFuchsGiven · 22/06/2022 15:24

Are You sure its not hay fever?

I was going to say this, could you try some kids piriton before nursery?

Dancingwithhyenas · 22/06/2022 15:28

Sun sticks work better as not so oily.

Whodoiwanttobe · 22/06/2022 15:29

My son does the same and I have too and it’s bloody painful. No ideas to help though sorry!

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 22/06/2022 15:32

Does she rub it in her eyes at home?

I would also look into hay fever.

With such a fair complexion, they cannot let her outdoors in this sunshine with no protection. How could they stop her taking off her hat?

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 22/06/2022 15:32

Or could you try and spray instead of cream? Much less oily.

daisychainsandrainbows · 22/06/2022 15:32

I got the Soltan sun stick for sun cream hating DD and we all now use it on our faces as it's the only one that doesn't irritate our eyes.

MerryMarigold · 22/06/2022 15:32

I get this with non mineral suncreams, even those designed for face. I would use a mineral sunscreen and ask them not to put it anywhere near her eyes or on her forehead, and not on her hands, plus to keep hat on her. It's likely to be sweat mixed with suncream dripping into her eyes but it can't drop from her cheek into eyes.

Having said that, I work in a nursery and I think they need to work with you on this. They've got a cheek sending her home or making it into your problem to solve. If she's not allergic to the sunscreen at the weekend then it's obviously something they're doing differently to you. You need to put your foot down a bit. They are taking you for a ride expecting you to find solutions and not offering any themselves.

CoffeeAndTV1 · 22/06/2022 15:33

Sun sticks and Piriton sound like good ideas.

Why won't they let you use an 8 hour one? Maybe if they get wet or something and need to reapply.

My ds used to react horribly to suncream if it went anywhere near his eyes. He's got a lot better now, but I did used to have to put him in the shower in the middle of the day sometimes if he'd rubbed his face and put suncream in his eyes

Original poster
SummerDays95 · 22/06/2022 15:33

We use a sun stick at home, so I'm not sure why this didn't work at nursery. We've literally never had this problem at home, so it surely can't be hay-fever or allergies? I think I just need to ask them to stop letting her get so sweaty, as her hair is completely soaked when she gets home so she obviously needs to cool down there! They also said they would stop putting it under her eyes, and surely they shouldn't be putting it there anyway!

OP posts:
SatinHeart · 22/06/2022 15:34

ZeroFuchsGiven · 22/06/2022 15:24

Are You sure its not hay fever?

I wondered that.

OP I think you'll struggle to get them not to apply any sun cream to her face as they'll have to from a health and safety point of view. Though I can't see them easily being able to keep her indoors all day either - it would mess up their staffing ratios as a staff member would have to be in with her.

Agree with PP to see what their thoughts are on you applying a once-a-day factor 50 in the morning. Or you could ask the GP for some Piriton and see if that helps?

Tothepoint99 · 22/06/2022 15:35

If you're happy that she doesn't have it on her face, tell them that you have already applied the suncream beforehand. Then they won't know that it's not on her face. That or put the tiniest amounts on her cheeks and nose.

(Superised they don't make parents apply before they go in as ours do).

daisychainsandrainbows · 22/06/2022 15:36

SummerDays95 · 22/06/2022 15:33

We use a sun stick at home, so I'm not sure why this didn't work at nursery. We've literally never had this problem at home, so it surely can't be hay-fever or allergies? I think I just need to ask them to stop letting her get so sweaty, as her hair is completely soaked when she gets home so she obviously needs to cool down there! They also said they would stop putting it under her eyes, and surely they shouldn't be putting it there anyway!

They probably don't mean directly under her eyes but more her cheekbones which are very prone to burning and also close enough to her eyes to be easily rubbed into them and irritate them.

SUPNovice · 22/06/2022 15:36

Sent her in the next day with the suncream we use at home with no problems. Same thing, red and itchy eyes.

if you use it at home, I'd be looking elsewhere for the culprit. As pp said, are they washing their hands (or ask they do her first)?
Is it a plant in their garden/hedge?
Could it be an animal allergy - if the person who applied it was in contact, that's a bit far fetched if it's in the middle of the day.

HangOnToYourself · 22/06/2022 15:37

SummerDays95 · 22/06/2022 15:33

We use a sun stick at home, so I'm not sure why this didn't work at nursery. We've literally never had this problem at home, so it surely can't be hay-fever or allergies? I think I just need to ask them to stop letting her get so sweaty, as her hair is completely soaked when she gets home so she obviously needs to cool down there! They also said they would stop putting it under her eyes, and surely they shouldn't be putting it there anyway!

The nursery might be closer to a pollen that she is allergic to than your home

Blinkingheckythump · 22/06/2022 15:38

Of course they have to put it under her eyes, and on her forehead to the pp who suggested they shouldn't.
The only option you have is to try other sun cream, like the stick ones or other suggestions

Original poster
SummerDays95 · 22/06/2022 15:41

When they said they wouldn't apply it under her eyes, they did motion with their hands right under the eye, and said they would just do cheeks, so I do think they've been doing it that high up. I'll call now about applying one before she goes in, and if not, asking for her to have hers applied first. She's been going there a year and no problems, so I'm not sure what she could be allergic to, and there's no animals there so it can't be that. The first time it happened it was about 9:30 in the morning right after they put the suncream on. Aaagh, I'll call them now and see what they say.

OP posts:
Greensleeves · 22/06/2022 15:41

I'm not allergic to suncream, but if I get it in my eyes (usually through sweating!) it stings like a bitch. I would apply an all-day suncream in the morning, tell them it doesn't need topping up (show them the bottle) and ask them to make sure she has her sun hat on at all times outside. They shouldn't be letting her get so hot that her hair is soaked, either - I would pull them up on that.

averythinline · 22/06/2022 15:43

I would try a different cream...shes possibly moving around more at nursery which is why shes sweaty..

We use ultrasun on face and boots/p20on body as when sweat others sting the eyes..

Squashedraddish · 22/06/2022 15:44

The exact same thing used to happen to my little girl. It was definitely her getting sweaty and rubbing the cream in her eyes which made them sore. Nursery always seemed to think it was hayfever. I agree with the once a day suncream and tell them it’s done and they don’t need to reapply

SnackSizeRaisin · 22/06/2022 15:44

We have the same problem, the nursery keep getting the suncream in their eyes. I think they need to either not put it on at your request or be more careful with applying - it's not on to get it in their eyes.