14 Jul Child Sun Safety Tips for 2022
3 min. readWhether your children are playing outside or accompanying you to wind up chores, it is crucial to protect them from sun exposure. Hotter summers can be dangerous for your children because children can sunburn easily even if the sun is not shining with its scorching light above you.
Sunburns and prolonged exposure to the sun without any protection can lead to skin cancer in later life. Furthermore, children can quickly get sunburn from touching hot surfaces such as hot sand, car doors, metal slides, or pavement. Therefore, protecting your child from the sun’s scorching heat is crucial.
How Do Sunburns Happen?
The UV (ultraviolet rays) react with a chemical found in the skin called melanin. Children with lighter skin color have less melanin than those with dark skin. Regardless of skin color, children need protection from UV rays because sunburn and tan can lead to skin damage.
Sunburns occur when UV exposure is greater than the skin’s melanin protection. If a child spends extended hours under the sun, he is more prone to skin damage.
How Can You Protect Your Child’s Skin?
Sunburn can lead to skin damage and multiple skin problems. Therefore, it is crucial to protect your child from sun exposure. Here are some ways to provide your child protection against sunburn.
Sunscreen
According to the experts, children must wear sunscreen regardless of skin tone. Sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher help protect your skin from sunburn and damage. No matter which sunscreen you choose, ensure it protects you from UVA and UVB rays. Moreover, pick a sunscreen that claims to be water-resistant if the child is playing in the water. Always apply sunscreen and reapply it when needed.
Avoid the strongest rays
When the sun is at its strongest (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), it is better to stay under the shade. If your kids are playing under the sun, make sure you apply and reapply sunscreen. Most sunburns occur during daily activities. Moreover, you must apply sunscreen even in cloudy and cool weather because UV rays reach the earth. The invisible sun causes unexpected sunburn and skin damage.
Sunglasses
Sun exposure is dangerous for skin and eyes. Exposing your children to the sun rays for extended hours can damage their eyes and cause cataracts in later life. However, you can protect your child from the harmful rays by making them wear sunglasses because they provide 100% protection against UV rays. Since kids have multiple options, you can always choose their favorite pair of sunglasses to make it more exciting. However, you must ensure they claim at least 99% protection against UV rays.
Check Medicines – if any
If your child takes any medications, ensure they do not make skin more sensitive to UV rays. When visiting the doctors, ask them if the medicines (acne medicines or antibiotics) or other over-the-counter medicines can increase sun sensitivity. If yes, take extra measures to protect your child from harmful sun rays by covering up or staying indoors.
The Bottom Line
Scorching sun rays are incredibly harmful to your child. They can cause irritation or skin damage. Furthermore, prolonged sun exposure can even harm your child’s eyes and lead to skin cancer in later life. Therefore, it is crucial to protect your child from the harmful rays and stay indoors, especially when the sun is at its peak. If you want to talk to a specialist to treat sunburns, then call Continuum Pediatrics at 817-617-8600.
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sun-safety.html
https://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/education/sun-safety-for-children-and-babies
https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/safety/outdoor-sun-safety/sun-safety
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Sun-Safety.aspx
https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/safety-and-injury-prevention/sun_safety
https://www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/getting-out-about-your-baby/summer-your-baby/sun-safety-for-kids