[Closed] My kid came home from the child minder with severe facial sunburn - not happy

It's no different than reporting an injury at work, there needs to be a record to help prevent it happening again.

For some perspective, we've had to sign several "incident reports" for incredibly trivial injuries that our 14mo has received at nursery, that frankly we wouldn't care about at home (i.e. one yesterday because another child had scratched her cheek).

So I think I agree with Drac: the childminder has a duty of care and has to take injuries very seriously and they should be reported so there is a record - but I think calling for the sack on the basis of this one incident is a bit strong.

Tootall I expect that the risk of skin cancer is significantly higher up on that high horse of yours.

C.

Tootall I expect that the risk of skin cancer is significantly higher up on that high horse of yours.

C.

Pot, kettle, black etc.

We always plaster him in factor 50

At my son's previous school, he was forbidden to take sunscreen to school due to potential allergy concerns, and the school do NOT apply it to children. At his new school he can take it himself, but teachers still can't apply it.

I suspect the same may be in place here. Did you ask?

Why didn't you send him already coated?

For some perspective, we've had to sign several "incident reports" for incredibly trivial injuries that our 14mo has received at nursery, that frankly we wouldn't care about at home (i.e. one yesterday because another child had scratched her cheek).

Precisely, I've signed dozes of them for small injuries to my kids as they need reported. However, it'd been sunburn like this I'd want it looked at more seriously but not with idea of the a child minder being sacked or struck off just so it won't happen again.

Ouch, poor little tike, hope he heals up soon. I tend to get burnt every now and again, even using factor 50 reapplied every two hours (and sooner if I go into water). Normally I get burnt where exposed skin meets clothing, as I think the suncream rubs off quicker in those areas.

Might be that the cream was applied but he wiped his face (or had it wiped for him if he does that kid thing of going face-first into food) reducing coverage and it wasn't reapplied quickly enough afterwards.

However, it'd been sunburn like this I'd want it looked at more seriously but not with idea of the a child minder being sacked or struck off just so it won't happen again.

Surely then the thing to do is have a word with the minder not go running to the council. FFS.

The STW massive are normally a pretty decent lot - what's gone wrong today? It's Friday for crying out loud. Surely the only proper response is sympathy to the OP if you feel inclined and if not start a thread about ramblers to let off steam. Get a grip or you're all on the naughty step.

I think some people are taking sun burn a bit too lightly. Looking after someone kids must be a pretty horrible job, as all parents know that things can happen and they get hurt. But letting a child get that level of sunburn is a pretty bad mistake. I've no advice on how to tackle the situation with the child minder, but the advise given above about always having a hat is really worth following.
Hope it heals up quickly.

OP just take kid to GP to make sure the little fella is ok.

Ok, some of the later posts on this have made me realise that some further explanation may be a good idea.

He gets dropped off at 7.30 am. At that point we saw no reason to cover him in sunscreen as it wasn't especially sunny. In hindsight, I will dip him in a big vat of the stuff in future.
If we ever have him out in the sun, we DO apply it liberally and regularly and this has never happened before, even when at the beach.
We provided the child minder with said cream on the understanding that if they were to be out in the sun that it would be applied.

When my wife collected him from the child minder, it was very apparent that he was burnt. The childminder informed my wife that she applied the suncream "every 10 minutes" (which I find very hard to believe). We have also given her a sun hat for him which we would expect him to wear when outside.

At no point has there been any admission on the child minders part of having done anything wrong. It was so obvious that he was burned that I fail to see how it could have gone unnoticed as it was happening. This alone has eroded a very large part of the trust we have in her. If there had been a simple "I'm really sorry, I made a mistake and it will never happen again", that would have gone a very, very long way in helping to maintaining the trust.

Anyway.
My wife took the little man to a drop in clinic/hospital and we've been told to keep him inside/out of direct sunlight for the next 3 weeks, and apply sudocrem to the non-blistered areas and to watch out for infections in the open blisters.

3 weeks.......now I'm starting to get angry again.

I blame the teachers for being on strike and not looking after him properly.

In hindsight, I will dip him in a big vat of the stuff in future.

Don't do that. Vitamin D deficiency is just as dangerous as sunburn possibly more so, and it is massively on the rise because kids go outside less and when they do they are coated in Factor 50+.

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12229546 ]Kid gets rickets from using SPF 50[/url]
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11355810 ]Scottish warning over vitamin D levels (BBC)[/url]
[url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/4563336.stm ]Vitamin D 'can lower cancer risk' (BBC)[/url]
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10601091 ]Low vitamin D levels 'linked to Parkinson's disease'[/url]
[url= http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070709091806.htm ]Low Vitamin D Levels May Be Common In Otherwise Healthy Children[/url]

As with all things, sensible moderation is the key. Don't let them get burnt but don't be afraid to let them see the sun!

That's a very different slant on things, your call on the reporting but I'd be looking for a new minder for sure.

Also, for info, they did a study in NZ some years ago, and anything higher than about factor 12 is total lies. In that factor 50 in no way gives you 50 times longer a burn time than well factor 1.

This is important, as the burn time (it's on the weather forecast every day in summer) where my parents stay can be as low as 5 mins. So accepting that factor 12 is as high as you get, whatever the number on the tube, the Health Dept advise hourly re-application.

Also, suncare products can go off and lose their efficacy, especially if lett in the sun. One more thing for the fridge.

I blame the Americans, all that polluting ruining our ozone layer !

That's a very different slant on things, your call on the reporting but I'd be looking for a new minder for sure.

Agreed

Stop whinging! You're off to the Alps tomorrow. I think, actually, you best stick around and look after the little fella. Seeing as you're a mate and everything I'd be prepared to go in your place.

I know. I know. You can't thank me enough. But we all have to make sacrifices in life. And I'm just looking out for you and your family 😉

piemann - your childminder is lying to you. How many other kids does she look after?

Childminder is trying to cover herself. Pretty normal human behavior. An admission would probably be better. Send him in ready basted, then he has some protection to start. I've found the non-greasy non rub spays to be excellent, but faces need more attention.

Unless you are dark skinned and living in Aberdeen, vitamin D deficiency won't be an issue# I think it's about 15min/day on hands and face.

Hope he's feeling better soon.

#Spoken by a MCR1 homozygote with a history of high sun exposure as a child and skin carcinoma...

I reckon the little fella fell asleep in the sun face up for a while and the minder didn't notice.

Pure supposition of course.

I would be inclined to give the minder a constructive bollocking. Show her the pics as evidence that whatever she was doing was inadequate - no need to call her a liar. Plenty of emphasis on the sun cancer risk for fair skinned kids.

Then at least you have a childminder who will be on the ball regarding your kid's fair skin.

Avoidance is better than any amount of cream. Fair kids shouldn't be out in direct sunlight during the peak hours in summer unless covered up.

Go to another minder, and you may end up having the same mistake made again.

BTW for that amount of burn your kid must have been gerning - what else was diverting the minder's attention?

Avoidance is better than any amount of cream. Fair kids shouldn't be out in direct sunlight during the peak hours in summer unless covered up.

And I think I wold be pretty miffed if our kids came back from nursery like that :-O

en at least you have a childminder who will be on the ball regarding your kid's fair skin.

Unfortunately just because you give someone a bollocking doesn't mean they won't make the mistake again.

Seriously kids have been getting a bit of sunburn here and there for thousands of years it's not an injury it's part of summer and a learning experience. I guess I'm just old fashioned.

then as an adult some go on to develop skin cancer.
i would rather avoid that learning experience.

it's part of summer and a learning experience

A childminder letting a child fall off a bike or eat a slug is a momentary lack of concentration and an accident. To let a child sit for hours getting redder and redder at the height of summer with inadequate protection is negligent.

Talk about reassuring the OP - Nice one.

Binners, your concern for my family's welfare is truly touching. I never knew such things were possible..... 😀

Thanks for reminding me that I'm off to the Alps tomorrow. All this excitement/anger [i]almost [/i]made me forget about it...

Tootall I expect that the risk of skin cancer is significantly higher up on that high horse of yours.

Given that my wife has had two skin cancers removed over the years - largely caused by a lack of sun protection as a child, I'm fairly aware of this topic. We would rather our daughter didn't suffer the same. You see high horse, I see high standards. Standards shared by several other parents it seems.

We would rather our daughter didn't suffer the same. You see high horse, I see high standards. Standards shared by several other parents it seems.

Spot on. I commend the OP for his composure. I think I would be landing on the childminder in the manner of a hungry and f:cked off dragon landing on a fat pony.

**applauds ** @ TooTall

landing on the childminder in the manner of a hungry and f:cked off dragon landing on a fat pony

Well that's me trumped. I can't argue with that. Seems that sunburn is more serious than I believed. Luckily my wife slathers my kids at the merest hint of sunshine.

who provides the sunceam? you or the CM?

reputable brand or a corner shop "special"

how old is it?

does your kid happily wear sunhats?

lots of things to consider before you accuse the person you have happily entrusted your kids with for ages

I would have a constructive chat, buy some new sunscreen and make sure junior loved his hats 🙂

if you report it for a single occurence make sure you own up the day that you fail to keep junior protected

make sure junior loved his hats

If you figure out how to do this please let me know! The only way we'd get a hat to stay on our little one's head for more than 60 seconds is with a staple gun and maybe some industrial-strength duck tape.

If you figure out how to do this please let me know! The only way we'd get a hat to stay on our little one's head for more than 60 seconds is with a staple gun and maybe some industrial-strength duck tape.

I still see no mention of a hat being provided by the OP. Parental negligence.

When we were looking for a childminder we went to a house that had no toys visible, but did have a samurai sword on the wall. We decided to look elsewhere.

I dunno, you somehow develop a sixth sense about which ones are good or bad.

Edukator - it's buried in one of my posts above.

For the hard of reading.

"When my wife collected him from the child minder, it was very apparent that he was burnt. The childminder informed my wife that she applied the suncream "every 10 minutes" (which I find very hard to believe). [b]We have also given her a sun hat for him which we would expect him to wear when outside.[/b]"

We have also given her a sun hat for him which [b]we would expect him to wear when outside[/b]."

my point is [b]will he wear it[/b] giving the CM a hat and expecting her to keep it on a kid who is determined not to wear it is an abdication of responsibility

if you don't like the CM change

OK, a hat was provided, sorry for not reading more thoroughly. I still find the desire for revenge distasteful.

The problem with sunburn is that by the time you notice it's too late. The fact the child's nose is not burned suggests to me that sun cream was used but perhaps not applied in sufficient quantities on the cheeks or it was rubbed off.

The problem with sunburn is that by the time you notice it's too late.

but the[b] carer [/b]should be acutely aware of the consequences at this time of year!

This isn't going to help, but in all honesty, number one carer is the parent. If it were me I would be thinking of finding a new carer, BUT, I don't think I would have allowed my 14 month old to be taken to the beach all day in the first place. If there is any blaming to be done I think it has to be shared around a bit.

I'm wondering about the beach too. When its mental hot we either go to the beach pre 10am or post 5pm, or better still up into the shady woods.

He wears his hat happily sometimes, at other times he's not so keen. As a professional carer, I would have at least hoped that she would recognise that when he is not wearing his hat, additional measures are needed, such as - oh, I dunno... SUN CREAM maybe or find some shade??

Also, my desire for revenge, whilst still simmering, has abated considerably since this morning, as is hopefully reflected in my subsequent posts.

This isn't going to help, but in all honesty, number one carer is the parent. If it were me I would be thinking of finding a new carer, BUT, I don't think I would have allowed my 14 month old to be taken to the beach all day in the first place. If there is any blaming to be done I think it has to be shared around a bit.

I suppose the parents would have trusted the carers to know what they were doing? I think I would have assumed so.

You've got little kids I think?

Would you take them to the beach in the middle of the day?

As a carer management of any weather conditions should be second nature.

I suppose the parents would have trusted the carers to know what they were doing? I think I would have assumed so.
You've got little kids I think?

Would you take them to the beach in the middle of the day?

Yes I have and of course I would - but I wouldn't just leave them sitting there in direct sunlight without enough protection - I would ensure they were well covered (sun cream, loose-fitting clothes, sun hat) and make sure there was plenty of shade around.

This isn't going to help, but in all honesty, number one carer is the parent. If it were me I would be thinking of finding a new carer, BUT, I don't think I would have allowed my 14 month old to be taken to the beach all day in the first place. If there is any blaming to be done I think it has to be shared around a bit.

So at what point is the (Professional, qualified, Registered & Paid) carer responsible.

She is being PAID to be responsible whilst the parents are not present. As the parents provided suncream & a hat what else would you like them to do? FFS

what else would you like them to do?

Not allowed a day trip to the beach maybe?

Poor little lad! That looks sore, though I'm sure he'll be enjoying the extra love and attention post burn. Healing vibes little dude.

I'm thinking that with fair skin, even half an hour on the beach without protection from the sun would be too much.

I wouldn't be looking for revenge, but I would be looking for a different chlid minder, and I'd make it very clear why to the child carer in question.

It sounds like she didn't offer an apology. If so I'd be worried because I'd expect her to feel responsible for what happened even if she wasn't entirely to blame (i.e she wasn't negligent in applying the cream, it just got wiped off etc.)

Tootall, can they actually tell if malignancy is caused by childhood exposure, or is it just that exposure is much more dangerous at that age? Have to admit, our girl has been outside (though covered up) on sunny days and we've not used suncream.

Not allowed a day trip to the beach maybe?

so restricting your children's activities to negate the carer of any responsibility then?

Negligance is negligance. Would you have a different opinion if the this happened in the carer's back garden then? Or should the parent's also not let them go outside?

As a carer management of any weather conditions should be second nature.

It should - but as we've established, it's not.

I'd rather be slightly cautious in the face fo a fairly obvious risk than indignant afterwards with a burnt child.

Would you have a different opinion if the this happened in the carer's back garden then? Or should the parent's also not let them go outside?

It wasn't in the carers back yard though was it?

Have you ever been to a beach? There isn't much shade and more light is reflected off the sea and sand than in your average back garden. That's why so many people end up getting burned there. This isn't some brand new phenomenon that no one has ever heard of before!

I would have hoped that if a child minder was taking kids to the beach they'd take adequate precautions, hats, creams, shirts, wind breaks and shelters. Because [i]there isn't much shade and more light is reflected off the sea and sand than in your average back garden. That's why so many people end up getting burned there[/i]

Have you ever been to a beach?

You still haven't answered if your opinion would change if this happened in her back garden. People can still get burnt by the sun away from the beach you know or is this a phenomenon you haven't come across yet...

Mmm,the line from 3rd Rock From The Sun rings true..."I want to have babies like the humans..and pay complete strangers to look after them"...

The buck stops where?
I had had sunburn to blisters as a child and I turned out OK. Able to spend mucho time in the sun without cream nowadays without fear of burning.

Blame aside for a sec.

Thats very bad Sunburn and you kid needs to see a doctor.