Parents warned over children’s tan risk

Medical experts have warned that parents are putting their children’s health at risk by abandoning sun cream and allowing them to get a golden tan. Research from NHS England and the Met Office found that almost two fifths of parents mistakenly believe that suntans are a sign of good health. NHS England said the findings showed a “worryingly relaxed attitude” towards sun care among the parents of young children.

THE image of a sunkissed child on a summer’s day may strike most parents as the picture of vitality, but health experts warn that too many children are becoming suntanned because parents are abandoning sun cream.

The warning comes as research from NHS England and the Met Office found that almost two-fifths of parents mistakenly believe that suntans are a sign of good health.

NHS England said the findings showed a “worryingly relaxed attitude” towards sun care among the parents of young children, highlighting the fact that one in 10 parents of children aged two to seven admitted they have encouraged them to sunbathe.

The study of 1,000 parents with children aged 11 and under found that more than a fifth do not apply any sunscreen on their child until they are visibly starting to burn. A similar number (20 per cent) said they wait until their child asks for sunscreen before applying it.

Despite the health warnings, seven per cent of parents with children aged six to 11 said they allowed them to use a sunbed. In addition, by the time their child has reached eight years old, 23 per cent of parents expect them to apply sunscreen themselves. The research suggested the figures could in some way be explained by a vanity factor, with almost half (44 per cent) of those surveyed commenting that a tan looked attractive.

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) also suggested it could be down to mixed messages parents receive about health.

Nina Goad, from the BAD, said: “Parents receive a lot of health messages that they have to absorb and pass on to their children, and sometimes these messages can be conflicting, which adds to confusion. However, there is one simple message for parents – sunburn and tanning are both signs of sun damage and are dangerous.”

With 40 per cent of children experiencing sunburn in the last two years, the Met Office and NHS England have launched a skin cancer awareness campaign called Cover Up Mate.

The campaign advises parents to apply sun protection factor 15 or above on exposed parts of a child’s skin, even on cloudy days, as well as dressing them in wide-brimmed hats to shade faces and necks on sunny days.

Yesterday a month-old baby was taken to Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, Sussex, after suffering severe sunburn.

Nora Nugent, a consultant plastic surgeon, said: “Sunburn can happen very quickly, even when you’re not outside very long.

“We encourage those looking after children to spend a few minutes applying sunscreen before they go out and to remember to reapply regularly.”