Sun safety 101
Categories: Fun & activities, Holidays, Health & safety
Though it was only 48 degrees where I live yesterday, I've heard a rumor that it's finally heating up in other parts of the country. With a three day weekend on the way, that's good news! It's also a good time for a refresher course on sun safety, because the fastest way to ruin a great holiday weekend is with a bad sunburn. So here are some tips for keeping your little ones safe while they play in the sun this summer:- The suns rays are hottest from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. If at all possible, schedule outdoor time in the morning or late afternoon/evening.
- When you can't avoid midday sun, keep kids under cover as much as possible. If it's not too hot, lightweight long sleeves and pants are an option, but when it's hot outside, consider bringing an umbrella or a pop up tent for instant shade.
- Eyes need protection too. Look for a child-sized pair that offers 100% UV protection.
Sunscreen should be a daily part of your summer routine, unless your child is six months old or younger. Babies this young burn very easily, but they can't wear sunscreen, so parents need to be diligent about keeping them covered, yet cool. For older babies and children:
- Apply sunscreen whenever you're going outside, preferably 30 minutes before you head out.
- Don't forget ears, nose, lips, shoulders, back of the neck, and underneath bathing suit straps.
- Reapply every 2-3 hours, more if your child is sweating or swimming.
- Use waterproof sunscreens when your child will be in the water. Reapply when they come out.
Finally, if your child does get a sunburn, here's help in treating it and making them feel more comfortable.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rob O. 5-23-2008 @ 10:28AM
Don't forget to Slip, Slop, Slap, Wrap!
Reply
Judy 5-23-2008 @ 11:37AM
We live in Deep South Texas, and we've been under heat advisories the last two days. At 10:30 a.m., it's already 92F with a heat index over 100, and expected to reach around 110 - maybe higher.
It's hard, because the kids all want to be outside, but because we've been letting them stay up later to play outside, they're sleeping later, too, so we don't really get out until close to 10 a.m. By then, it's getting too hot already.
Couple the heat warnings with the sky high gas prices, and we're feeling a little trapped. Unless I'm missing something somewhere, most of the activities for kids here are outside or cost a lot, so we're feeling a little stuck. We don't own a TV - just a portable DVD player - but I have a feeling I'm going to cave and let them watch more movies than normal!
Reply
erin 5-23-2008 @ 12:29PM
About a year ago, we bought our daughter a pair of Julbo Looping sunglasses from backcountry.com. Even at the sub-one-year point, she was the type who needed to be the mistress of her own destiny. These sunglasses have an optional strap (which we prompted removed), to allow her some semblance of control over her fate.
While she refused to wear many of the other popular baby sunglasses out there, she took to these ones quite quickly. They're a great happy middle ground between self-control, and ability to stay on. They just don't fall off, no matter what she's doing; even without the strap.
Yeah, they're 5x more expensive than the disposable ones you can get at Target, but a year later, having just bought this single pair which she actually loves to wear, it was money well spent. Beside which, she looks super-cute in them!
Reply