Two Boys Hospitalized with Severe Sunburn
An Oklahoma mother sent her 5 and 7-year-old sons off to daycare for a day of fun at a splash park. Before the trip, Shaunna Broadway called Happiness is Learning to find out if she was required to provide sunscreen for her fair-skinned boys. She was assured that the facility would supply sunscreen and take proper precautions. When Broadway picked them up after the trip, the boys were crying in pain.
Connor and Trae Broadway suffered second- and third-degree burns after the daycare failed to supply and apply sunscreen. They were airlifted from an emergency room to a burn hospital in Texas, and are undergoing treatment for their painful injuries.
The Happiness is Learning Center has since shut down, and has remained unavailable for comment to the major media sites. According to CNN, “The day care service has been visited in the past… for a list of non-compliance violations. These violations include expired fire extinguishers, incorrectly placed and updated food menu, and ‘no one on staff with a current director’s credential.’”
Why sunburns are more serious than you might think
Second-degree burns are serious. The first two layers of skin are damaged, and if the burn is larger than 3 inches in diameter, it is treated as a major burn that needs professional attention. Third-degree burns are far worse, and extend through all layers of the skin and underlying fat. These burns can require skin grafts to repair the worst of the damage. Both boys developed blisters from their burns so severe, that CNN issued a warning on its website for viewer discretion.
While the immediate damage from a burn is painful, repeated burns can have long-term health effects. This makes a new social media trend all the more worrisome. A recent article from ABC Action News highlighted a growing fashion trend in which teens are using stencils and sunblock to burn tattoos on to their skin. This new trend, popularizing a dangerous condition, has potentially disastrous consequences. The best way to counter this trend is to monitor and inform your friends and family. Repeated and extreme exposure to UV rays can result in skin cancer, while even brief exposure can cause painful burns.
If your children have been exposed to dangerous conditions, or injured due to an Ohio or Kentucky care facility’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Please stay safe, and contact Crandall & Pera Law today for a free consultation.