It Rubs The Lotion On Its Skin

A well-meaning but ridiculous law has made it illegal for counselors to assist young campers with applying sunscreen... in case the touching is inappropriate.  And to take the stupid up a notch, the assistant health director for environmental health and food protection admits he is not aware of a case that prompted this.  Not only is the staff forbidden from helping campers, but the campers cannot help their peers in apply lotion.


So, it's better to put kids at risk for cancer and burns rather than allow counselors to apply sunblock.  What is so wrong about two counselors having to be present?  That is how we handled those cases when I took care of mentally handicapped children.  Those kids couldn't even speak up for themselves, so we had a witness and a supervisor present anytime a delicate area had to be treated.  A little common sense goes a long way, and leaving a small child to fend for himself is not the answer.

Before the revision started Friday night, many parents, physicians and dermatologists had expressed worry that Maryland’s approach could result in a surge of sunburn cases. “Restricting counselors’ ability to apply sunscreen or assist with sunscreen reapplication could make it more likely that children will not be protected from the damaging rays of the sun,” said Ronald Moy, president of the American Academy of Dermatology.

The rules are “absurd,” said Maral Skelsey, a dermatologist in Chevy Chase. “This is the biggest known carcinogen that children are exposed to. We should be asking camp counselors to take an active role in promoting skin protection.”

There are options that make sense, but this isn't one of them.