Do Your Kids Get Sunburned at Camp or School?

We apply in the car just before drop off and I bought one of those little bottles that comes on a carabiner. We refill that one over and over again. It clips on to her belt loop. I have her trained to apply every time she has food break. That just about works.

This year she sliced her head open on a rocking chair and had stitches. The doc said the scar must be protected from the sun for a year. All summer she has walked around with a bandaid on her forehead because she can't promise to wear her hat. Once the counselors see the bandaid they ask about it. She tells them why it's on. Amazing how the hat goes on every day and sunscreen breaks are happening.

S

The counselor should be reminding them to apply/reapply sunscreen. I worked as a camp counselor a few summers ago and it was drummed into us. (Counselors aren't allowed to apply it to the kids). If the counselor isn't very helpful, I'd talk to the director.

E.

Here's a sneaky little trick I thought up. Get a referral to a dermatologist. Write a letter for the dermatologist to sign stating that:

"Due to a family history of sun sensativity, (or what ever reason you choose) your children MUST have access to hats / sun screen - and assistance in applying it - during the day. Further, if they (the school / day camp) are unable to arrange access to hats / sun screen then you will have to see if you can make arrangements with their supervisor."

Have one letter for each child that this applies to.

Hi, J., I like the other advice you have received so far and have another couple of suggestions. You need to make a total sunblock application at least 15 minutes before the kids go outside. If you are serious about sun protection, I recommend a titanium/zinc oxide physical sunblock. There are several on the market, and while not easy to find at Long's, you can buy them from the website Sun Precautions (www.sunprecautions.com). I use the Solbar SPF 38 when I am in Hawaii, and it is the only thing that has helped me. I am very sun-sensitive and break out with a lot of chemical sunscreens. Another sunblock that is more widely available is Neutrogena Sensitive Skin sunblock SPF 30, which is also a physical block and won't dissipate quickly like chemical sunscreens. The new Neutrogena sunblocks with Helioplex were recommended to me by my dermatologist, but I don't know about their efficacy in the water. Have you thought about having your kids wear sun-protective garments? I can't say enough good things about the shirts, hats, pants, etc. from Sun Precautions. Both of my daughters have worn their sunshirts and I never go to the beach without one, either. The material has a built-in SPF 30. Good luck to you, and it's great that you are aware of this problem. It's a huge concern for all of us who live here in the sunny side of the country. I hope your kids wear hats - nothing is more upsetting to me than seeing little babies and kids out in strollers without hats on! As they say in Australia, "slip slap slop!" (Slip on a shirt, Slap on a hat, Slop on the sunblock!")

Most camps are not going to allow their staff to apply sunscreen to the child. Too risky leagally. I would check to see if your kids are being reminded to put sunscreen on and then don't. Kids can get very stupporn about not putting it on. In that case you are going to have to work with your kids about the need to reapply. good luck! We are ofte n between the rock & a hard place. We want sunscreen on the kids, but don't want to open an opportunity for kids to be molested.