Nursery and sunburn

[MadMummyP]

My daughter is 4, very fair skinned and attends nursery, she’s been going since she was 1. Every summer we have an issue with her catching the sun at some point, last summer she came home with severe sun burn and I spoke to the manager who agreed it was unacceptable and profusely apologised. Most other times it’s been slight catching the sun, but in my opinion if they are putting on enough sun cream she wouldn’t catch the sun at all.

I just don’t know what else to do, the nursery is fantastic in every other way and go above and beyond, but this just keeps cropping up. Today it was sunny and she’s come home with red cheeks. I just don’t know what else to do, I’ve spoken to nursery about it before and I will be ringing them again tomorrow, they provide sun cream but I’ve taken some in anyway, factor 50.

I want to feel that she is looked after there just as well as I would look after her. I am also under the skin clinic at the mo for sun damage so I am extra concerned.

I think the next step is a complaint which is a shame as otherwise they are great.

My baby's cheeks were bright red after our long walk today but it was definitely wind burn as I kept the shade on the pram. (London). It looks like sunburn. Next time I'll put thick cream on her cheeks, something like nipple balm.

Op hasn't said where she is, but that's my tuppence worth anyway!

Most people have no idea how to properly apply suncream. You need a surprisingly large amount.

For those who burn easily, it also has to be reapplied frequently, despite product claims to the contrary.

I got a wonderful born this weekend when I was out unexpectedly. The temperature really doesn’t matter, just that the sun is out and skin is expose.

I would apply a good solid coating in the morning and then have nursery do a second application before they go outside. It will help compensate for what is most likely sloppy application technique. If that doesn’t solve it, I would go up there one day and make sure they know how to apply properly. The little light swipes most people get away with aren’t how you are actually supposed to put it on.

I didn’t put it on yesterday morning because initially we had frost outside, it wasn’t sunny, she goes to nursery at 7.30. But had she been home, I absolutely would have put it on before she went out, even in March, as it is completed possible to burn and I would expect nursery to do the same.

I always wait til the next day and have a look to check it’s definitely is the sun and she’s not just a bit rosey cheeked but I’m pretty sure. I will have another look when she wakes up. (it’s 5am and I can’t sleep, pregnant and uncomfortable but that a ‘s a separate issue!)

I do start putting suncream on routinely in the morning as we approach summer and UV levels go up, or if it’s sunnier as she heads out in colder months, but she is at nursery for 10 hours so it must be reapplied. I’m sceptical of once a day sun creams, they may be more durable but I think misleading and reading the Which? review I’m not wrong. However I will start to pop this on as it could still last longer but still expect nursery to reapply.

I live SE UK, it was really sunny yesterday and nursery said they spent a lot of time in the garden. I’m surprised how many people think you can’t burnt in colder months, you absolutely can especially if prone to burning anyway.

She always has her shoulders covered and a hat. That’s why it’s only her cheeks as she was covered elsewhere due to it being cold.

@MixedUpFiles and I will be speaking to them about how well they apply it, I didn’t think of that, thank you. She’s in pre school now so more kids to adults ratio could be an issue. (Not that it should be)

I teach in a nursery attached to a primary school and our policy is that we don’t put sun cream on children. Basically because we don’t want the fallout of a child being burnt because of staff missing a spot. Also the time it would take 4 staff to sun cream 39 kids would be crazy. We do however pay close attention to the weather and play mostly indoors of it’s hot. Also we don’t let children play out without hats on hot days.

@Bigbadger I mean I understand what your saying but to me suncream is basic care and would you not get ‘fallout’ if a child gets burnt on your watch anyway. It doesn’t have to be hot to get burnt. I mean if she got burnt and the nursery just came back with ‘it’s not our policy to put on suncream’ I’d be taking it further too. Also there are days she can be in the nursery garden for most of the day. This isn’t just a case of them missing a spot.

Regardless, the nursery she attends actually provides the suncream, although I have taken in her own as they were using a spray and I don’t think it was covering as good.

@MadMummyP we inform all parents of the sun cream policy before they start nursery. We’ve never had a complaint about it. Most parents use the all day sun cream. As I said if we feel it’s getting too warm the children play indoors. I’m sensitive to the sun myself and use spf moisturiser. I’ve never burnt at work.

Like bigbadger we don't routinely apply suncream. We ask parents to apply in the mornings, and if they are in all day preferably wear 8 hr suncream. If not we reapply in the afternoon.

However it can take 2 members of staff at least 30 mins to cream 30+ children. Especially when parents decide they only want their own cream applied as we then have to change gloves or wash hands in between. While those staff members are applying cream we aren't able to supervise the rest of the children. So your child could have an accident or hurt themselves during this time as 2 staff are not within ratio being with the children.

We also do not go out during the hottest part of the day and have a lot of shade up in the garden. We have to spend lots of time outside as our hall has no opening windows so gets very hot/stuffy during the summer!

@nocutsnobuttsnococonuts

I understand all of what you are both saying but this is not what has been communicated by our nursery, the message from them is ‘we’ll apply suncream no problem’ so when she returns burnt I have an issue. And if you had a child who was particularly prone to burn and burnt whilst at nursery, despite the parent putting on cream in the morning and discussing it several times, would you not then put a bit extra on that child?

I defo think you can't blame the nursery if you didn't think it was the weather for it this morning either. I genuinely think an application in the morning only would be enough for winter sun.

On another note also be aware that my friend who is a childminder had a child that would burn so easily. She was fully competent and applied it literally every hour and he'd still end up rosy cheeked at the end of the day. This was in summer tho and luckily the parents were understanding. She is very very competent tho and she couldn't have done more.

@Looneytune253 I would disagree, the weather changes easily.

I’m more understanding when the nursery say she’s had loads on, but there are days they haven’t at all because they didn’t think it was hot/sunny/enough or UV levels were lower and she’s caught the sun. I imagine your friend was in good communication with the parent about it as well. She often comes home rosey cheeked in the summer but because she’s hot and sweaty so I always check her arms etc as well and see if the redness on her face stays.

I have bought some once a day suncream which I will switch with her usual morning one. I’m really trying to be reasonable with them without feeling I’m sending her in to get burnt.

I'm not even sure that they'd have sun cream around in March? The number of children who would need it at the moment is tiny (I'm SE too and it wouldn't have occurred to me that anyone would currently - the UV index is so low) so I think if you want it on at the moment you need to do it and then highlight that you have and it will need reapplying. If they're not doing it in summer then that's different, though I really think that if she's burning currently then the only viable solution in summer is to insist that she's kept constantly in the shade as she must burn so easily that suncream isn't going to do it - that might be tricky as it might limit her play options, but it sounds like she's so fair that she really can't tolerate any sun at all.

I don't think you can blame the nursery, I wouldn't expect a child to get sun burnt in March, especially when it's still cold. I can't imagine the children are playing outside for very long at the moment as it is. I'm echoing what others have said, if her skin is that sensitive I would start using a factor 50 as part of her daily routine.

Also if she's 4 I'm presuming she's starting reception in September. It's unlikely primary school will be applying sun cream so you will need a plan for then anyway.

You are not being reasonable. I live in a hot country. Hot as fuck, over 40deg in summer and scorching sun. You can go out and fry an egg on your head, literally. I’m fair, all my kids have been fair. Solutions are pretty easy. Slather the kids in 50+, waterproof, long lasting before they go to daycare or school. Don’t wipe it on, slather them in it. That’s worked for mine. School wouldn’t deal with sunscreen when kids started Kindy (first year of school, 5yo) and kids that age are pretty useless at applying properly but putting it on properly in the morning and using stuff meant for the job meant mine got through recess, lunch, sport without ever getting burnt. Stick a hat on and make sure they are dressed appropriately with shoulders covered in daycare/nursery. School is easier as uniforms provide decent protection for shoulders and upper arms, just have to worry about all the bits that poke out.

Get her a Uv top and hat

Rosy cheeked doesn’t necessarily mean sunburn!!! It could also just be increased blood flow from her running around or even just thee way her skin is. With a UV index of 2 it’s very unlikely she would burn. Even if the sun feels warm (and I agree, a couple of days ago it did, I ate my lunch outside, albeit with a cardi on - it was lovely to feel the sun on my face though) the positioning of the uk relative to the sun at this time of year just means it isn’t strong enough.

Looking (and hearing!) the weather today and for the next week I think it’s not something you need to worry about for a few days. Once we get into April you could put a high factor child’s cream on her in the morning and ask them to reapply it once during the day. The likelihood is with a good cream there would still be some protection anyway

@Hardbackwriter so because only a tiny number of children need it don’t bother? Is it just not like an other individual need? I think insisting she is in the shade all day is more difficult for the nursery than applying a bit of extra sun cream. There have been occasions in the summer when she didn’t have enough on.

@mummyh2016 the day I’m talking about the nursery said they were outside for most of the day and it was sunny. She has factor 50 which I put on in the morning if the weather looks sunnier and I have switched to a longer lasting one now, so I am trying to do what I can. I just want nursery to reapply and/or put it on when she goes outside. I’m not sure I’m asking a lot. I’ll be teaching her to put it on over the next few months until September.

@HoppingPavlova I don’t think I am being unreasonable by asking them to reapply suncream, which they have agreed to do. I don’t berate the nursery or call up angry, I do just discuss my concerns. It’s great your kids didn’t burn but something isn’t working here. She wears all the appropriate clothing and has a UV hat, she burns on the exposed bits. Plus at school they’re only outside for a limited time.

@Youngatheart00 maybe not, maybe this time I’ve got it wrong. But it seemed like she’s caught the sun to me and her freckles had come out a bit too. Also this is usually an issue with nursery at some point as the warmer weather comes out and I am under the skin clinic for sun damage so I am probably extra cautious.

I don’t get why people saying it’s unlikely essentially makes them think it can’t happen. It is possible to burn at any time of year.

I start getting sunburn from February onwards if it's sunny. I'm in the UK, it's quite normal.

If my DS had got sunburn at this time of year while in childcare I'd brush it off as I wouldn't expect them to be slapping on suncream yet. They did forget in the height of summer once though and I was not pleased.

I think using a once-a-day suncream is a good solution here OP. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and apply some in the morning if it looks to be a nice day. I always make sure DS gets some time in the sun without suncream as it's good for him, but that's easier when he's with me. I'm not chasing around after several kids like his childminder!

I’m in the SE and wouldn’t use sun cream on a baby at this time of year.

It’s great your kids didn’t burn but something isn’t working here. She wears all the appropriate clothing and has a UV hat, she burns on the exposed bits. Plus at school they’re only outside for a limited time.

As I said, myself and kids are extremely fair and only need a sniff of the sun to turn to lobsters. However, a heavy duty sunscreen and applied thickly does the job. That’s what’s not working here I suspect. Average sunscreen and application that’s not the best. It’s well and good them saying they will reapply during the day but schools don’t so you may as well get it right now with a once a day approach. Of course once a day means if going out in evening then another layer late afternoon but that doesn’t need to be anywhere near as substantial as the morning application.

Will also add I was also extra cautious with the kids skin as I am now reaping the effects of sun in my youth having skin cancers cut out left, right and centre. Fortunately, the sunscreen that is available now, and when my kids were young, works. When I was young (50 years ago), these products didn’t exist and we had products that were low uv resistant, short term and came off immediately with any sweat and when you went in water. The only other option was thick zinc paste that parents put on our noses at the beach. Consequently I spent my entire childhood either a shade of red or peeling. But we have great quality products now as standard and if you splash the cash getting a decent one to last a child from morning to afternoon is perfectly possible provided a good application. Exception being swimming, while they are sweat resistant and cover you while in the water, I would reapply on exit as I find that does shorten the cover no matter how thickly applied.

Also second the uv tops, my kids always wore them when outside, full length arms. DH and I do as standard. Funnily ours ditched them as older teens but most have reintroduced them once they hit early 20’s.

I used to check the forecast and slap high factor on before they went in.

Maybe I’m odd

Actually, I probably am. They look like little ghosts in most of the pre-school photos!

Ultrasun Once a day factor 30
Put it on in the morning, and then tell the nursery they must put it on her as well

They shouldnt be out in the sun 11-3 when its hot
Do you know when they are going outside?