Spring and summer are right around the corner. Little League games and many other outdoor activities will take up much of your children’s time. But, how do you prevent the warm sun from hurting your child’s skin? Let your children enjoy the outdoors safely.
- If possible, have your child wear protective clothing. Include a hat, long sleeve shirt and long pants. Keep in mind that most clothing only has a SPF of 5-9, so you can still get sun damage with a shirt on.
- Limit exposure to the sun when it is at its strongest (10am-4pm).
- Protect your child’s eyes with sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB radiation. Children’s sunglasses are usually inexpensive and can be found at local drug stores.
- Use sunscreen daily, even if it is cloudy, since most of the sun’s radiation penetrates clouds and can still cause sunburn.
- Consider using a sunscreen with ingredients (such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) that physically block the sun’s radiation if your child has sensitive skin.
- Deet lowers the effectiveness of sunscreens, so use a higher SPF if you are using a combination product that has both a sunscreen and an insect repellent.
