Safety in the sun

Sun safety
Content supplied by NHS Choices

Exposing your child to too much sun may increase their risk of skin cancer later in life. Sunburn can also cause considerable pain and discomfort in the short term. The following tips will help you protect your child:

  • Keep your child out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is at its strongest and most dangerous.
  • Keep babies under the age of six months out of direct sunlight, especially around midday.
  • Encourage your child to play in the shade, for example under trees.
  • Don’t let your child run around all day in a swimsuit or without any clothes on.
  • Cover your child up in loose, baggy cotton clothes such as an oversized T-shirt with sleeves.
  • Cover exposed parts of your child’s skin with a sunscreen, even on cloudy or overcast days. Use one that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or above and is effective against UVA and UVB. Don’t forget their shoulders, nose, ears, cheeks and tops of feet. Reapply often.
  • Be especially careful to protect your child’s shoulders and the back of their neck when they’re playing as these are the most common areas for sunburn.
  • Get your child to wear a floppy hat with a wide brim that shades their face and neck.
  • Protect your child’s eyes with sunglasses that have an ultraviolet filter made to British Standard 2724.
  • Use a waterproof sunblock of factor 15 or above if your child is swimming. Reapply after towelling.

Source:

NHS Choices

Published Date 2010-12-15

Last Review Date2009-07-28

Photography: Arnaud DG @Flickr

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