Creche and suncream

LegacyUser

Hi,
My 4yo is in creche full time. I brought her this morning and was asked if I had applied suncream. I said no because putting suncream on at 7.15am would be no good by the time she went out at 10ish and that it would have to be reapplied. They said the understand but I would still need to do it. I then asked why if you weren't bringing them out till 10ish and was told that they can't put suncream on all of the kids and there are too many and if that was the case they would just have to keep them inside!?

I think this makes no sense, any advice on this?

sillysocks

I apply sun cream to both a pre schooler and regular school child in the mornings before school on sunny days. I usually buy the ‘once a day’suncreams and never had an issue with them getting burnt. Neither would be out all day , but would be a few times per day, and even if they don’t go out until later in the morning it’s still fine.

Watergirl4

I too have a 4 yo in creche who is dropped around 8 am - we don't generally put on sunscreen in the morning but are asked to provide one for them due to skin sensitivity/allergies. I do put it on my primary school age children and use the once a day creams when it is very hot and sunny.

Cash_Q

If you think about the time it takes to apply suncream to your child, multiply this by 16 or however many kids are in her room. Not being smart, but the time taken up by this would significantly impact on staffing. Outdoor time is usually buffered by toileting and snack times, the whole schedule goes off whack if staff have to apply suncream to every child. As someone else said, buy an all day cream.

Chattymummy

Sun cream needs to be reapplyed every two hours to work effectively and I think it would be irresponsible for creche staff to say they don't apply if the child is in all day. My boy is only in for few hours a week, but a quick application surely wouldn't be that time consuming for staff in fairness... If it was schools be different as child is older and can do it themselves..

splinter65

Chattymummy wrote: »

Sun cream needs to be reapplyed every two hours to work effectively and I think it would be irresponsible for creche staff to say they don't apply if the child is in all day. My boy is only in for few hours a week, but a quick application surely wouldn't be that time consuming for staff in fairness... If it was schools be different as child is older and can do it themselves..

How time consuming is it to apply sunscreen to 15+ children?

Chattymummy

Cash_Q wrote: »

If you think about the time it takes to apply suncream to your child, multiply this by 16 or however many kids are in her room. Not being smart, but the time taken up by this would significantly impact on staffing. Outdoor time is usually buffered by toileting and snack times, the whole schedule goes off whack if staff have to apply suncream to every child. As someone else said, buy an all day cream.

Isn't there a child:staff ratio for this reason.. I would not be impressed if my son came home burnt because it too time consuming in fairness.. Its part of be a care giver.. If a parent didn't apply suncream they'd be uproar.. The child is in someone else's care.. Yes parent apply in morning and a quick top up should be appkyed if going out three or fours later.. Simple really. Shocked that people think an all day sunscreen actually protects all fay ..it needs to be reapplied every two hours to be effective

SusanC10

My Kids are older but when they were in Creche, Parents provided a Bottle of Suncream and the Staff at the Creche applied it as necessary. My Kids never got burned. The Creche had a large Garden so the Kids would have been outside a lot.

iamwhoiam

I bring my granddaughter to creche . I put suncream on when I dress her and bring her . The girls have a box of each childs own sunscreen with their name . They sit out while supervising in the garden and the kids all come one by one and are creamed by the girls again . They also have to have a hat on

Joe222

Suncream only needs to be applied once a day.
A factor 20 sunscream only allows 1/20 of the sun exposure through. So with factor 20 it means your kid could be out in the sun for 20 mins but get the equivalent of only 1 minute of exposure.

Factor 50 - 50 minutes of exposure is equivalent to 1 minute.

So with factor 50 on 12 hours out in the sun will be the equivalent of 15 - 20 mins.

Always put on a sun hat anyway just in case.

Chattymummy

Please have the correct information and look on reliable sources, this is the recommended apply time, sun cream is extremely important and if the creche is saying its too time consuming I would question them on it and maybe show this link from the melanoma Ireland site
http://melanomaireland.ie/what-sunscreen

LouD2016

I have to have sun cream in his baby bag and they will apply it in the crèche,
If they are anything like the ones in my place you are better off applying it yourself - twice now he has come home with sun cream in his eye

Neyite

A suncream's effectiveness is not going to last from 7.30am until the late afternoon. If your child is sunburned at pick-up time when you've applied it at 7.15am, who is responsible for that in their eyes I wonder?

We provided a suncream to the creche every year and they applied it before each playtime and topped up as necessary. Sun safety with little kids is paramount.

It takes 30 seconds per child and they line up to get it done. It doesn't take long at all to do the whole class. If a creche are saying that this very basic safety procedure is too onerous for them, I'd be concerned that other childcare tasks are also beyond them.

ted1

Chattymummy wrote: »

Sun cream needs to be reapplyed every two hours to work effectively and I think it would be irresponsible for creche staff to say they don't apply if the child is in all day. My boy is only in for few hours a week, but a quick application surely wouldn't be that time consuming for staff in fairness... If it was schools be different as child is older and can do it themselves..

Just put it on them. It’ll last longer than 2 hours if they haven’t been out.

Chattymummy

ted1 wrote: »

Just put it on them. It’ll last longer than 2 hours if they haven’t been out.

This is not my thread, I was simply offering advise as per the guidelines, sunscreens do not last even though they say they do, especially on toddlers attending playschool/creche, getting into things and getting messy as per the norm. I think the point me and others are trying to say is apply when going to playschool in morning, then yes I would expect it to be normal practice to reapply as nessecary throughout the day when children are obviously outside in good weather.. I cannot understand how people think its too much effort for staff to do this. .. Mind boggles... Sun screen is so important... Maybe have a read in an earlier reply I made and attached the link from the melanoma Ireland site as just one example of a reliable course of information..

mirrorwall14

I would be seriously unhappy if suncream was not applied for the whole day. Happy to have it on in the morning but there’s no way my lad would still have it on him, particularly now he’s toilet trained. Sure his arms would be washed clear of suncream after the first hand wash of the day. There’s just no way a three year old stays clean enough that he doesn’t need to be wiped and doesn’t sweat any of it off during the day

Theboinkmaster

G&T22 wrote: »

Hi,
My 4yo is in creche full time. I brought her this morning and was asked if I had applied suncream. I said no because putting suncream on at 7.15am would be no good by the time she went out at 10ish and that it would have to be reapplied. They said the understand but I would still need to do it. I then asked why if you weren't bringing them out till 10ish and was told that they can't put suncream on all of the kids and there are too many and if that was the case they would just have to keep them inside!?

I think this makes no sense, any advice on this?

I'd move crèche immediately to be honest.

We supply suncream and the kid is caked in it when we collect him, the staff have ratios so for example say it is 1:10, they get the 10 to line up and smack on the suncream, id say it takes 5mins max.

If they cannot manage that I'd question what else they're lacking in, sound like cowboys and not a professional crèche at all, bunch of muppets.

Tigerandahalf

There is no need to be caking kids in suncream several times a day. A lot of kids are presenting with a lack of vitamin d as parents are being overly protective.

How long is a creche kid going to be out for anyway - max 1 or 2 hours in the sun. A factor 50 in the morning is plenty if properly applied.

Women are also increasingly presenting with a lack of vitamin D as they are putting on factor 50 moisturiser year round.

Moderation.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317278.php

bee06

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

There is no need to be caking kids in suncream several times a day. A lot of kids are presenting with a lack of vitamin d as parents are being overly protective.

How long is a creche kid going to be out for anyway - max 1 or 2 hours in the sun. A factor 50 in the morning is plenty if properly applied.

Women are also increasingly presenting with a lack of vitamin D as they are putting on factor 50 moisturiser year round.

Moderation.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317278.php

Irish skin cancer rates are also on the increase.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/skin-cancer-rates-at-record-high-in-ireland-803191.html

I know I’d prefer for my child to be as protected as possible while not under my supervision and then make sure they got safe sun exposure (30 mins twice a week according to your link) when I can supervise them.

Dravokivich

The Creche my son is in, just asked me to provide suncream.

Tigerandahalf

bee06 wrote: »

Irish skin cancer rates are also on the increase.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/skin-cancer-rates-at-record-high-in-ireland-803191.html

I know I’d prefer for my child to be as protected as possible while not under my supervision and then make sure they got safe sun exposure (30 mins twice a week according to your link) when I can supervise them.

The thing about suncream is that it can be absorbed very well into the skin and create such a barrier that even showering won't remove its full presence.

I have had young kids splasing at the beach with their legs knee deep, out in it for upto 3 hours and they showed no signs of burn.

A sun hat is great especially those ones with the flap at the back.

Different kids have different burn times but I think exposing ourselves to the sun is very important. Lack of vitamin D has pretty serious consequences.

Chattymummy

OSI wrote: »

Jesus. I'm out.

Agreed 😦😕... Shocked

bee06

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Different kids have different burn times but I think exposing ourselves to the sun is very important. Lack of vitamin D has pretty serious consequences.

So does skin cancer and there’s no supplement for it either.

maxsmum

Put P20 on every morning and let it dry and covered for whole day. Solved.

iamwhoiam

maxsmum wrote: »

Put P20 on every morning and let it dry and covered for whole day. Solved.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pharmacy-chain-removes-suncream-linked-to-cancer-25983022.html

Interesting article here

Chattymummy

Or people might like to hear what the Irish cancer society recommends.. I know that's who I trust another a label....

https://www.cancer.ie/reduce-your-risk/sunsmart/protect-your-children#sthash.H3nWu4Mv.dpbs

https://www.cancer.ie/reduce-your-risk/sunsmart/code#sthash.vPx4HDUl.dpbs

And reapplying every two hours is necessary, I prusume kids in creche aren't locked away inside when the weather is so good at the moment... Or I presume they would be in and out if as op stated, are there full time days.. Hope all the links posted and not the misinformation around suncream, helps guide them with knowledge for the creche..

pwurple

Chattymummy wrote: »

Or people might like to hear what the Irish cancer society recommends.. I know that's who I trust another a label....

https://www.cancer.ie/reduce-your-risk/sunsmart/protect-your-children#sthash.H3nWu4Mv.dpbs

https://www.cancer.ie/reduce-your-risk/sunsmart/code#sthash.vPx4HDUl.dpbs

And reapplying every two hours is necessary, I prusume kids in creche aren't locked away inside when the weather is so good at the moment... Or I presume they would be in and out if as op stated, are there full time days.. Hope all the links posted and not the misinformation around suncream, helps guide them with knowledge for the creche..

Those links are somewhat backing up the previous posters point though... about minimizing it. And I would tend to agree. I don’t send mine out in the midday sun, head for shade and hats/clothes mainly, and generally try not to coat them in high factor. Our allergy specialist and dermatologist gave us the same advice. Sun cream is useful, but it is not a panacea. Shade and awareness is better.

Quote:
“Only use sunscreen on those areas of the skin that cannot be protected by clothes or a hat.”

Anyway, on the Creche, they should apply when and where needed. Toddlers are constantly getting covered in sand, food, etc and they wash /wipe a lot.

Our Creche has a policy where we send in the suncream for them to use, and they do it for all children so they know it is done. We never apply suncream before Creche.

maxsmum

iamwhoiam wrote: »

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pharmacy-chain-removes-suncream-linked-to-cancer-25983022.html

Interesting article here

didn't know that - thanks. We had it as kids and nobody could figure out why we never burned but got tanned... now I know. Luckily am not too leathery as a result..

sullivk

We have 2 kids in creche and each has their own labelled suncream and sunhat in their basket that the minders apply at garden time.
We generally wouldn't apply suncream at 7a.m before creche but maybe we should be?

_Dara_

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

The thing about suncream is that it can be absorbed very well into the skin and create such a barrier that even showering won't remove its full presence.

I have had young kids splasing at the beach with their legs knee deep, out in it for upto 3 hours and they showed no signs of burn.

A sun hat is great especially those ones with the flap at the back.

Different kids have different burn times but I think exposing ourselves to the sun is very important. Lack of vitamin D has pretty serious consequences.

I don’t know about this. I’ve applied factor 30 liberally on holiday in Spain, not swam, not reapplied for three or four hours and got very badly burned. And I wouldn’t have the most pale skin. I know the sun is at a more direct angle the nearer you are to the equator, but like I said, I’m not very pale and it did not get washed off by water.

evolving_doors

Saying it must be re-applied every two hours is a bit of safety catch-all (especially when it's a pharmacist telling you to do it with their own products :rolleyes:). 2 hours for every type of skin, every type of weather, every activity!!
It's similar to those who suggest we must drink 8 litres of water a day or we'll dry out.

I send em off with a UltrasunSPF30 for face and 50 for the rest (+Hat).
No burns or redness ever, even in hot countries. Although maybe if we were at a beach/pool all day we'd go twice, but that's rare. They have kind of sallow skin though so that probably counts a bit.

Our creche wanted us to send a bottle in with em (so they prefer to line em up and apply it!). But we just kept on saying it was a once a day and we do it before they leave the house. Depends on the creche too, I know they don't let em out for too long and never during the hottest part of the day as they have quite a lot of space inside for activities. But i'd say other creches might chuck em out and leave them play away for hours. Each case on it's own merits I suppose.