Wonder if you guys can advise a bit off topic but wood chip related

[sasha.p]

I have a query now I know our normal chip is not treated but my son came home from school today with a severe reaction to something a few of the kids infact did and it also happened to one less than two weeks ago with exactly the same symptoms my sons face was covered in hives all over his eyes and up his forehead he had forest school before the end of the day.

 

Anyway I returned to the school to take a look around their forest school for any obvious allergens that would create all these kids to react but could not see anything that was obvious but then when my son told me they were looking for bugs in the woodchip.

It triggered the thought my husband is allergic to pine ,the woodchip looked like pine but what I want to know is does play area woodchip get treated with any anti fungicidal products? it looks so clean or could it just be sap that's causing it?I figure if anyone could answer this question it would be you guy's I wanted to know as I am going in first thing to discuss it as what happend earlier to be quite honest frightened the life out of me seeing my boy like that and if there is even a small possiblity it could of been the chip then I need to know before I go and speak to them so I have the right info to be able to give them.Thanks all

[sasha.p]

I am guessing that its no treated then and just large chip im now thinking has the area been chemically treated below the chip as the boys seem to think there is no lined area below and there is no growth coming into that area surely some would of pushed through the chip at this time of year if it was not lined or treated anyway I am off to have words now and see if we can find what the allergen is

[renewablejohn]

If it is wood chip for schools it should be heat treated torrefied woodchip. If it is ordinary untreated woodchip then it could have fungal spores which could cause a reaction however by the sounds of it the chip has been sprayed to stop the weeds coming through and the reaction could be to the spray.

[kentjames]

All playground bark should be to BS 4790 (ignition resistance) and BS EN 1177 : 1998 (an Impact Aborbing Playground Surfacing test), although there is nothing I can find which should specify how clean it should be chemically / environmentally etc.

 

I would contact the school and dig further into who supplied the bark and if its to standard.

[sasha.p]

Thanks both for the info im digging now I spoke to the head teacher she is useless I also spotted ragwort this morning whilst over there which I did not see from the back when I went over lastnight so thats a possible cause also but the head teacher gave me the bull story she attended a course on dangerous weeds just yesterday and ragwort was not one of them! the class teacher bless her is certain it was outside that started it she was really worried and when I spoke to her she told me three others in her class had reacted the same.

 

I am homing in on the ragwort now I spotted that and the slim chance it could be somthing to do with the chip but it's better to be armed with correct info before dealing with things like this as I just met a brick wall with the head teacher she tried telling me their contractors are trained to spot and remove well they are not removing it as its full of it where I went this morning.

 

I just want them to eliminate anything that could cause any more children to react so at least they can get back out there and enjoy forest school im on the phone to the council who have told me I need to report it to the school of governors if the head teacher does not take action in the meanwhile another child could get a bad reaction.

[Mike Dempsey]

Have you tried your council's Environmental Services Dept. If something is causing a large number of children to come out in a rash/hives etc they should be informed so they can investigate. Failing that I am sure your local paper would love to run a story on it!

[sasha.p]

I tried the call center they would not put me past as I had already explained why I was ringing so they spoke to somebody and put me on hold!they said I needed to speak to the head teacher which I have done this morning then if I was not happy to write to the parent governors.

 

I just popped in to give him a dose of piriton whilst in there my son's class teacher told me a lady from the council had already arrived and found ragwort on site but the head teacher just collared me as I was leaving and said a lady from the council is on her way and wont be there until 3pm they are trying to hide something now arent they,why has she just lied about the lady already being on site?.

 

I asked where is the chip sourced what chemicals have been used on site(although most break down with contact on the ground dont they?) is the chip to standards etc which it probably is as sourced from the LA but what's got me more than anything is the head teachers lack of concern when I spoke to her this morning she acted as though she had better things to do with her time and as I was the only one who had approached them about the incident yesterday she was not that worried and would look into it.

 

The kids have reacted pretty badly their own teachers is really worried she just told me she is scared to take them outside of the classroom incase something happens to one of them and is constantly checking she is a lovely lady .And I know one of the other mums has complained twice now about the first and second time its happened with her son so there has been other complaints and I am sure a few more words will be had by the end of today by others.

 

I have posted a letter to the chair of governors earlier to complain and get them involved its not too much to ask is it to simply check and remove any obvious hazards in an infants school playground and if once those hazards are removed then the kids still react fair enough I will be wrong but its too much of a coincidence for 4 kids in the same class same day just after being in forest school to flare up like that !.I want my boys to enjoy what they are doing and take in what they are learning from it all forest school is probably the best bit of school for them lol.

 

I will check who has been in from the council and find out if they were from the enviromental dept so far the head was talking of people who deal with poisenous weeds and she keeps banging on about deadly nightshade and nuts allergies silly woman both of which I do believe have nothing to do with why the kids have reacted .I wont involve the papers theres no point I am sure now the council are involved somthing will get done but whatever is causing it does need to be investigated too many children are reacting to whatever it is all I want to do is make it safe for them and if that means kicking up a fuss with the school to get it done then so be it.

 

Thanks for the help and advice its much appreciated as im sure any parent would be the same if it happend to their little ones and their freinds

[sasha.p]

Thanks Mike I enquired if it was somebody from the enviromental dept the head teacher said no it was their grounds people who apparently had not showed up at all according to the head teacher but yet one of the other teachers told me there had been a lady from the council out the back ..

I left the school late and the head teacher came out onto the yard and said she had rung them back to complain as nobody had come out I am not going to get caught up in their mis communication thats their own problem.

 

But I did say you had better get hold of the Enviromental services dept so they can investigate after having so many cases of it so she has now said they will do that tomorrow and let me know everything thats happening .

[face cord]

Might of being playing with hogweed?

[dent]

ragwort produces blisters and swelling ime and only when it gets into cuts and scratches unbroken skin seems unaffected

the grounds maintanence people will only be payed to be on site for x amount of hours a week not by the job and will do what the head asks for first

i cant see landscaping chip being treated with anything that would cause reaction afterall contractors will have to handle it themselves and surely the maintanence teams will carry nothing more toxic than round up to spray could the rash be the result of wild animals nearby carrying mights and so on in there coats or i even come out in a rash due to the dust in a very long haired dogs coat