It’s important to protect children from sunburn

MANY people are looking forward to spending time outdoors in the sun. However, before doing so, it is important to know that the sun may not be that friendly to your skin.

According to the Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa), sunscreen and sun protection are important, especially for children and toddlers as sunburn can cause skin cancer.

The study, titled “Fact Sheet on Being SunSmart with Infants, Toddlers and Children”, advises parents and guardians to be extra careful about sun protection for their infants and toddlers at all times.

“Many parents do not know the best ways to protect their young children from the harmful rays of the sun as sun exposure can cause health problems, including melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer,” the report said.

The study also said that infants under 6 months should be kept out of the sun and special care should be taken from 10am until 3pm when the sun's ultraviolet rays are at their highest.

“Liberal amounts of sunscreen should be applied for babies of 6 months or older before they are allowed out in the sun for short periods of time. However, avoid exposing babies to the sun during peak hours and dress the baby in protective clothing, a hat with a brim and sunglasses.”

Cansa recommended the following tips to protect children from sunburn:

• When choosing a baby sunscreen, pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.

• Apply sunscreen at least 20 to 30 minutes before going into the sun, and reapply every two hours or more often if the baby is spending time in the water or perspiring.

• Get children to wear a broadbrimmed, bucket or legionnaire-style hat so that the child's face, neck and ears are protected.

• Provide children with sunglasses, if practical, to protect their eyes. Look for sunglasses that are labelled at least UV400 and are a close-fitting, wraparound style that covers as much of the eye area as possible.