mom angry after kids badly sunburned during field trip (school ban on sunscreen)

[noamnety]

69. Allergic reactions to sunscreen:

"Benzophenones. Benzophenones have been used in sunscreens for 50 years, and are one of the most common causes of sunscreen-induced contact dermatitis in the United States. Other names for benzophenones include oxybenzone, Eusolex 4360, methanone, Uvinal M40, diphenylketone and any other chemical name ending with “-benzophenone”."

"Salicylates. Benzyl salicylate was the first sunscreen used in the United States. Common chemicals in this group used today include octyl salicylate, homosalate and any chemical ending with “-salicylate.” Salicylates are rare causes of contact dermatitis."

and plenty more: http://allergies.about.com/od/contactdermatitis/a/sunscreens.htm

My daughter has allergic reactions to salicylates (aspirin among other things). She's got a medic alert bracelet for it. Even so, we still have some screwups. Last time she was here she used my body wash in the shower and had a reaction to it. Since she lives in another state, I don't think to check ingredients, and since she normally just buys the same brand of soap she wasn't thinking about ingredients. Soap's another of those things that's considered "health and beauty" and not medication.

The solution is for the mom to comply with the OTC rules and supply the school with the sunscreen, and hopefully the school will recommend this for future field trips for all kids, and put the suggestion right in the permission slip.

(I will also add that we recently had an end of year outdoor event at our school and one of the PTA parents brought sunscreen and left it out on a chair for anyone to use. I was grateful she had it and I used it.)