Health Canada investigating reports of babies burned by Banana Boat sunscreen
Posted May 31, 2017 6:47 am.
Last Updated June 1, 2017 8:29 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Health Canada is following up on three complaints from mothers who say their babies developed second-degree burns after using Banana Boat brand sunscreens.
Spokeswoman Renelle Briand says the three reports were made within the past month from multiple locations in Canada. One complaint in Newfoundland identifies a Banana Boat spray sunscreen. The company has issued a statement saying they retested that batch of spray sunscreen and confirmed the product is safe for use.
“Often it is not possible to determine if an adverse reaction reported to Health Canada is a result of using a specific health product,” Health Canada said in a statement. “Other factors, such as a person’s health conditions or other health products they are using at the same time, could contribute to the reaction.”
Briand says Health Canada has reached out to Banana Boat products maker Edgewell Personal Care for more information, but has not taken any action against the products yet.
Edgewell did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Montreal mother Caroline Morneau wrote a Facebook post about her nine-month-old son’s recent experience with a Banana Boat product, though she did not indicate which specific sunscreen she used.
Morneau wrote that her son developed blisters on his face shortly after using the product, prompting a visit to his pediatrician.
The doctor diagnosed second-degree chemical burns and attributed them to the sunscreen, Morneau alleged in her post, which was accompanied by a photograph showing a child whose nose, cheeks and upper lip appear burned.
Once it has been added, the database will reflect 10 complaints against Banana Boat products filed since 1965. Briand said one previous incident reported in 1996 involved alleged burns.
Another mother from Newfoundland, Rebecca Cannon, told the CBC that her 14-month-old baby allegedly sustained a second-degree burn after she applied Banana Boat Kids Free Continuous Spray Sunscreen SPF 50+.
Like Morneau’s son, Cannon said her daughter developed blisters shortly after the spray was applied.
Briand said the third recent complaint was filed on May 15, but had few details other than that it involved burns allegedly suffered by a baby.
