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

[renewablejohn]

Just a thought could it be dandelion milk we used to use it when I was a kid as a prank for the unwary.

[sasha.p]

I thought of hogweed but could not see any but may of missed it as its a rather large area and the grass was rather tall and so far the school has not allowed access to the area I actually went round the back way and through a fence to get to it to take a look myself that is how I spotted the ragwort .

 

I thought the children skin is a lot thinner than an adults which could of led to more than a rash.What my son and the other children have experienced was a very quick allergic reaction which led to them having hives and a swollen face the one boy swelled on his feet and hands also they are only little as in the infants.

 

When I picked Lewis up he looked like he had been poked in the eye two minute trip home got him out the truck straight in washed his face and hands and realised it was getting worse by the second ,he looked as though he had been smacked in the face with stinging nettles white bumps were emerging everywhere and his face was swelling skin turning red but there was a pattern more across from the left eye up across and onto the forehead as if he had touched somthing across his face there.

I dragged him back out the door and rushed him to the pharmacist very scary to see a reaction like that on a child but the piriton stopped it thank god but if I had not got him that when I did I am certain he would of got a whole lot worse.

 

I wondered about mites but surely something would of bitten him what sort of mites could cause an allergic reaction ?we have pet dogs ourselves so no allergies there and the area is not really that rural you may get the odd urban fox about but even then they only carry mange and your average fleas surely?.

Lewis did not develop a rash he just had hives and swelling but one of the other boys did.My son must of had a good exposure to what ever the cause was as he was still puffy in the face today I kept him on piriton whilst at school to make sure until his immune system calms down a bit .

 

But if anyone can think of anything wether its mites ,plants that I should get them to check for thats maybe not so common the area is your typical forest school set up there must be something there that's the cause its just finding it for the kids safety .

 

The reason I thought woodchip was the link that the hubby is allergic to pine sap but then I have had my son playing in piles of conifer chip and he has never had any reaction but with what he had reacted like it was similar to how the husbands allergy flared up.I have never dealt with larger chip as always have arb arisings which I know fungus grows in pretty quick but when you see the stuff in play areas it seems to not have as much spores etc hence why I asked is it treated .

 

Am hoping by the time I collect the tomorrow they will of had somebody in who works for them to check the area thoroughly and remove anything that could be a cause so the kids can get back out and enjoy it .But once again thanks everyone for the help and advice its much appreciated

[TGB]

I can't see you getting any nearer the truth or any real help with the head teacher. It seems a pretty obvious, that that she is hopping you'll just give up and be quiet. Maybe she's close to retirement or just about to move into a new post and doesn't want anything to upset her private applecart.

 

I think you should contact your the ombudsman to look into the unsettling behaviour of the head teacher, who seems to have little concern with regard to the safety of her wards. She has lied to you and tried to steer you from your path and concern for your child's good health. Maybe it is time for a trip to the local paper.

Edited June 19, 2013 by TGB

[Dean Lofthouse]

It may help if you explain to the head that you are not looking for someone to blame, you are only looking for the source of the problem

[TGB]

It may help if you explain to the head that you are not looking for someone to blame, you are only looking for the source of the problem

 

Fair point that.

 

Next time, if there is a next time and I hope that doesn't happen. Take your child straight to the doctor. A pharmacist may well be able to supply ointments and advice. But only if they know the root cause.

 

Your doctor may well have seen other cases locally and once the child has been seen by the doctor, there will be a written and traceable record. Not only of that specified occurance but also the date/s, the frequency of said problem and a possible link to other cases.

[sasha.p]

The latest is thank god my sons teacher has made a personal decision to keep the kids out of the area I was assured by the head teacher the children would not be let into that area until things were resolved .

 

Yesterday a man from the council came out and pulled all the ragwort that was present Im not sure if they would of pulled any small rosettes though ?but the big stuff definatly came out .

 

I have not heard anything from the head today as was rushing for work the class teacher told me there was a form to fill at reception but whilst I was collecting my son just now another mother from another class came storming over dragging her son and said just the person I wanted to see I thought oh god what Have I done lol.

 

But I soon realised her poor son was being dragged because he could not see he had the start of a hives rash over his eyes and going onto his face which was starting to swell! she only knew about it as I had posted on facebook yesterday and she saw my post so now thats 5 children affected and guess what he had just been to forest school when the head told me they would be kept from there!.I am so glad I sent that letter yesterday maybe they will ensure it gets properly investigated now as the head obviously has taken no notice what so ever otheriwse she would of kept them off the area .

 

But the big question is what could be causing it?I think I may take him anyway to the doctors its just I have work booked in atm so will make an appointment to go speak to them as as far as I was aware before this happened he had no known allergies the same as some of the others affected .

 

I am really not gunning for the school I just want the source found and dealt with I manage the grounds for a private nursery myself and the school next door to where they are share a forest school with the nursery if this is something that's common and grows in the meadow grass etc that has been planted up then it could also happen there so I would like to know not only for the safety of the kids at my son's school but for other places too

[sasha.p]

What sort of a reaction does dandelion milk give I never thought of that one?.

 

And yes you are right about her lying to me and now today apprently the word was a man came into school yesterday and pulled the ragwort I am getting mixed messages and there is obviously a serious lack of communication personally i would love to go speak to who ever is in from the council or be told when they are there so I can go meet them see who they are what they do and if they know how to identify weeds etc or are they just somebody that has no idea?but the school so far wont let me as the head wants to deal with it .

 

And you are correct she is leaving the school so another parent informed me yesterday and I seem to be the one who will upset her apple cart because I am not giving in until they sort this out that letter would of landed on the governors doorstep today so I have already gone above her because I dont want her leaving the school for it to be forgotten about and no future plans for the grounds to be checked for whatever the cause is. I wonder how many other children will of had something flare up by the time they got home today from the other classes.

 

When I get back home later from my next job I will be trawling the net looking for possible mite causes etc I may even nip into the local vets and ask them as they would know what beasties can irritate the skin.

 

I really appreciate everyones advise I know it could be anything but at least if I get them to eradicate the obvious ones we can narrow it down a bit the main thing is it's outside in that area my son has been in his class today although I sent him in medicated this morning he has not had anything this afternoon and is now fine he was slightly puffy this morning when he woke he has come home fine so not come into contact with it today because his teacher listened to me and kept her class in.

[Rich2484]

The only way to narrow anything down is to try certain things. Bit like a food allergy where you will eat certain things to see what the trigger is.

 

Sounds harsh and I know I wouldn't really want to do anything like it to my son.

 

Could also be chemicals that can cause hives so may it actually be wood or plants. Does the company spray anything in the woods?

 

Could also be bugs or insects. May need to check to see if any new insects have moved into the area.

 

I don't know what wood school is. Never heard of it.

[farmer rod]

What sort of a reaction does dandelion milk give I never thought of that one?.

 

.

 

Probably not relevant but celery juice is toxic if it is on the skin in sunlight. So if it is a plant, it may be one that usually causes no trouble.

 

Hope you find the culprit.

[sasha.p]

Thanks just been looking now at mites there are a few but it appears most mites bite and the irritation is around the bite area all apart from chiggers now this I will have to look into so thank you for the suggestion of mites,you could be right about it being something normal that's just reacting due to the sun also so am looking at that too