4 sun-safety saboteurs and how to prevent them

Written by Debra Beaulieu-Volk

As parents, we sure know a lot more about sun safety than we did as kids or young adults ourselves. SPF 2 dark tanning oil, anyone?

But even though we now understand the importance of protecting our children from excessive sun exposure and have resources such as this blog and healthychildren.org at our fingertips, following this advice is sometimes easier said than done.

Here are a few sun-protection snafus I’ve experienced personally, and how your family can help prevent them:

1. Over-reliance on sunscreen. Parents don’t always think about it this way, but pediatricians will tell you that sunscreen is actually a third-line defense. Among the most effective ways to protect children from sun exposure is with clothing. While you can purchase swim shirts and other protective garments labeled with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF), any tightly woven materials generally block out more rays than lighter fabrics. In addition, remember to be most sun-cautious during peak hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If participating in outdoor activities between these hours, try to find a shady spot to work in some “sun breaks” throughout the day.

2. Overlooked exposure. Easily missed or forgotten spots to cover include tops of feet; scalps (especially hair parts); and areas covered by dry swimsuits, but notsomuch once material gets waterlogged and/or full of sand. Just being aware of these vulnerabilities is half the battle, but I find the best way to handle the shifting-swimsuit scenario is to apply one good layer of sunscreen onto kids before they get dressed, going in a couple inches more than it looks to be necessary. Eyeballs themselves are also vulnerable to sun damage, so wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses are not just fashionable, but essential.

3. Being in a rush. It may feel as though slathering squirmy children in sunscreen takes forever, but it’s really just a few moments that can contribute to kids’ lifelong health. To make sure your efforts are not in vain, use a sunscreen that says "broad-spectrum," with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 (up to 50). Sunscreen sticks can make facial application faster, but remember to blend and be more thorough than you’d think. Sunscreen should be applied 15 to 30 minutes before going outside—and reapplied every 80 minutes or sooner after swimming. Please don’t make the mistake of skipping your own sun-protection ritual to save time! It’s not just an ill-advised sacrifice, but also a poor example.

4. Not making kids accountable. Although you shouldn’t rely on young children to pack protective items or apply sunscreen themselves (despite the hilarious photo-op potential!), it’s never too early to instill sun safety into their consciousness. Just talking about all of these topics with your children and as a family can help encourage good habits. Once understanding a rule, what kid doesn’t love to correct his or her parents when it’s not followed? In this situation, hearing, “Mommy, you missed a spot!” may be a valuable reminder.

In the event your child does get sunburned, we have a tool on our website explaining when to call the office, along with how to care for minor sunburn symptoms at home.

Summer Safety Series - Sun Safety

As the summer months are starting to creep in, it is important to start thinking about sun safety, heat stress related conditions, pool safety, bug safety and playground safety. 

 In the next few blog post, I'm going to be addressing these topics with the hope that you all get a basic overview of what to watch out for. 

 Although I suspect that many of things I'm going to be talking about you already know, I think there is value in being reminded. Sometimes, we forget. Especially those of us that spend half of the year hibernating (except during this past crazy winter season). 

 For this post, I'd like to begin with "sun safety." 

 Depending on your child's age, you will want to consider different things. For example, babies under 6-months old will require different tactics to avoid sunburn that children that are older. Naturally, older children are far more active and have the liberty to play out in the sun for longer period of time. So you'll want to keep that into consideration.

So let's look at the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for each age group: 

Babies under 6 months:

The two main recommendations from the AAP to prevent sunburn are to avoid sun exposure, and dress infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck to prevent sunburn. 

However when adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of sunscreen with at least 15 SPF (sun protection factor) to small areas, such as the infant's face and the back of the hands. 

If an infant gets sunburn, apply cold compresses to the affected area.

For Young Children:

Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays. 

Wearing adequate clothing and a hat or cap ( I know, sometimes it is hard to keep them on; littles ones especially don't like things on their heads, but at least try) goes a lot way in protecting your child from the sun. 

For Older Children:

The first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Make sure your child wears a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave.

As many of you know, the hours of between 10 am and 4 pm are the most intense, thus during that time, it is best to stay in the shade whenever possible and minimize exposure during those times. 

For my children, I don't use anything less than 50 SPF, but the recommendations from the AAP is to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater. 

Be sure to apply enough sunscreen - about one ounce per sitting for a young adult and reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.

Lastly, use extra caution near water and sand as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly. Just because you are in the shade, doesn't mean your child won't' get sun burned. The reflection of the water and sand can cause sunburn as well. 

Written by Joanna E. Betancourt MD, FAAP