Top tips to keep your kids cool this summer
If you’re a parent, chances are you want your kids to get outside and have fun at their summer camps. And you want them to take advantage of the beautiful weather while it lasts.
But we also need to teach our children how to stay safe and healthy in the heat.
Here are some tips from local experts on avoiding sunburns and staying hydrated this summer and beyond.
Protect kids from the sun, and you’ll decrease their risk of skin cancer, says Calgary dermatologist Dr. Derek Woolner. “Be smart about the sun. Cover up. Keep your shirt on. Wear a hat,” says Woolner, who works at the Northwest Dermatology and Laser Centre.
“Sun exposure in childhood is clearly related to your lifetime risk of getting skin cancer.”
UV-protective clothing works well, but is expensive and not necessary. “A 10-dollar T-shirt will work almost as well,” he says.
If you can’t cover it with a cap or clothing, then slap some sunscreen on it. “I’m not fussy about the brand,” Woolner says. “But my standard answer is: ‘Buy the SPF 60.”
And apply a lot. “People do not apply sunscreens anywhere nearly as thickly as they are tested,” Woolner says. “It takes about 30 grams of a product to cover a typical adult’s body once. That’s about one ounce of sunscreen.”
An average bottle, he notes, holds about four ounces of sunscreen. “If you’re still using the same bottle in August that you were using in June, you’re not using enough.”
Pack a water bottle with your kid, every day. “We need water for cooling us off,” says Andrea Holwegner, registered dietitian and president of Health Stand Nutrition Consulting. “Kids are prone to overheating quickly.”
Parents and camp organizers should encourage counsellors to remind kids to rehydrate throughout the day. “A dehydrated kid is going to be sluggish, tired, grumpy and grinchy,” says Holwegner.
No one wants that — plus, dehydration can lead to health risks, including headaches, nausea and, in extreme cases, death.
Add berries or slices of fruit to
their water bottle, or a splash of juice for extra flavour, Holwegner suggests. “Get them involved in figuring out what might taste good.”
Don’t stress about the sugar content in juice boxes. For most kids, the benefits of a portion-controlled juice box outweigh the negatives, especially on a hot afternoon, Holwegner says. “Juice is only bad if it’s taking the place of solid foods, if a kid is filling up on liquid calories instead of a meal.”