Students can't keep sunscreen with them?! (doctors, placement, teachers, educational)
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I think part of the problem is that the parents aren't using effective sunscreen. Most of them actually don't work. I used to apply and reapply all day and still get burned, but then I read an article that showed that most of them don't work. I bought one of the few that supposedly do - California Baby - and have never gotten burned where I applied it, even if I don't reapply during the day. I think if the parent used an effective sunscreen instead of just something from the grocery store, and put the kid in clothing that provides at least as much coverage as a T shirt and long shorts, and if the kid wore a hat, then the kid would not be likely to get a bad burn, even in Texas. The only exception might be an all-day swimming trip, but that's not what the parent is complaining about.
But this nonsense about sunscreen being medicine is just ridiculous. Skin cancer is probably more common than sunscreen allergies. And I believe the allergies are just rashes - not like peanuts, where kids die.
I use one of the good zinc oxide sunscreens, and, yes, I still have to reapply. Some people just have to in order to avoid terrible burns. My husband, on the other hand, is much darker than I and only has to put it on once a day.
But this nonsense about sunscreen being medicine is just ridiculous. Skin cancer is probably more common than sunscreen allergies. And I believe the allergies are just rashes - not like peanuts, where kids die.
There are contact dermatitis allergies caused by sunscreens that are just rashes. But there is another group of sunscreen allergies that cause full blown anaphylaxis just like a peanut allergy. A PABA-free sunscreen like California Baby will not cause such a reaction. (There is also a third group of photoallergy reactions caused by certain sunscreens, that is fairly common, and are the reason that PABA sunscreens are disappearing from the market.)
I wanted to make a comment. Our school does allow, even encourages, students who are prone to sunburn to bring their own sunscreen for outdoor fieldtrips, field day and things like that. They are told not to share it because of allergies, etc.
One of problems is that students do share things like that even when they are told not to do that. Our school used to allow the nurse or secretary to apply Vaseline to a child's lips if they were severely chapped but then it was prohibited due to potential allergies & parent complaints. So the school said that children could bring in their own Chapstick or other lip balm but they shouldn't share it.
Man, Oh Man! The amount of sharing that went on was absolutely shocking! One day when I was subbing in a first grade class & someone dropped their Chapstick out of their pocket. Another child picked it up and put it on their lips and gave it to the next child who put it on their lips and was handing it to a third child before I managed to get there from across the room. I was hoping that none of those children had impetigo or something else contagious.
I asked another teacher about that and she wasn't surprised at the "sharing" and had even seen young children pick up used, dirty Chapsticks from the ground during recess and use them before she could stop them.
I really don't know how common allergies towards sunscreens are, but if they are common I bet that the school is just trying to prevent law suits from parents if their child accidently uses someone else's sunscreen and has a serious reaction. Just like the schools that have totally banned certain foods (such as peanuts) in their entire buildings.
There is some contradiction in this article as to whether this 10-year old was on a field trip, or outside for field day, but either way, I can understand why the mom is upset that her daughter got sunburned.
From the article:
School district spokeswoman Aubrey Chancellor said allergic reactions to sunscreen are one of the numerous reasons the district does not allow sunblock in its 72 schools.
"We don't want students sharing sunscreen," Chancellor said. "If students get it in their eyes or react badly to the sunscreen it can be quite serious."
Hello??? Skin cancer can be quite serious.
Well if people would quit suing schools for every darn little thing, then things like this wouldn't happen. Parents only have themselves to blame.
I think parents of such school districts should either keep their kids home on field trip day or totally revolt against the rules and give their children sunscreen ANYWAY. While they're at it, they can attach a note that reads as follows:
While I appreciate that schools have to have a sense of structure and order, the no sunscreen rule is totally asinine, and I am not going to allow my child to suffer a painful sunburn because of it. I have furnished sunscreen and she is to be allowed to use it, no questions asked. As the parent, I am overriding you, my child obeys ME before he/she obeys YOU.
And leave it at that.
And the school would likely send your child home because he/she would not be allowed to apply the sunscreen and they don't want to be sued for sending the child outside and risk a sunburn.
The easiest thing to do is follow procedure and have a medical note on file. When it's time to go for their annual check-up just ask the doc to fill out the form again, then send it into school so it's always current. That's what most of our parents do and it has never been an issue.
Why didn't she do what the rest of us do and apply the sunscreen before she got to school. I just did a field trip with four 3rd grade boys - all good kids. I'm quite sure if I gave them a tube of sunscreen, the boys would have had a blast and I'd have a mess.
There is some contradiction in this article as to whether this 10-year old was on a field trip, or outside for field day, but either way, I can understand why the mom is upset that her daughter got sunburned.
From the article:
School district spokeswoman Aubrey Chancellor said allergic reactions to sunscreen are one of the numerous reasons the district does not allow sunblock in its 72 schools.
"We don't want students sharing sunscreen," Chancellor said. "If students get it in their eyes or react badly to the sunscreen it can be quite serious."
Hello??? Skin cancer can be quite serious.
So put sunscreen on before you go. What's the problem with that. That's what I did with my kids when they were going to be outside on a field trip.
There is some contradiction in this article as to whether this 10-year old was on a field trip, or outside for field day, but either way, I can understand why the mom is upset that her daughter got sunburned.
From the article:
School district spokeswoman Aubrey Chancellor said allergic reactions to sunscreen are one of the numerous reasons the district does not allow sunblock in its 72 schools.
"We don't want students sharing sunscreen," Chancellor said. "If students get it in their eyes or react badly to the sunscreen it can be quite serious."
Hello??? Skin cancer can be quite serious.
Too bad, parents don't like it? Quit suing the schools for every little thing then.
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