In my last post, I wrote about general sun safety and let everyone know that the Environmental Working Group had issued its 2012 guide to sunscreens.

Today, I am going to focus specifically on sun safety for children.

If your child is 6 months of age of younger they should stay out of the sun.  Their skin doesn’t yet have the melanin necessary to provide any protection.  That means when you take your baby outside, make sure they are covered up.  Put a hat on baby and make sure they are dressed in clothes made of tightly woven material.  To keep baby cool, make sure they are loose fitting.

If you don’t have shade make your own.  You can put the top up on the stoller or carry an umbrella for shade to keep baby protected.  It is not recommended that you put sunscreen on a child that is 6 months or younger.  Getting out in the fresh air is good for both Mom and baby.  But schedule those walks for early in the morning or late in the afternoon or early evening when the sun is not so strong.  This is also a great time to talk to your baby.  They are always learning and pointing out the names of the things you see is a great way to bond.

If you have an older child, outside playtime is important to physical health and development. Whether its playing ball, riding a bike or playing in the sandbox, kids need to be active outside.  But you want to protect them from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet light.  Sunscreen can provide valuable protection.  However, you don’t want to do more harm than good.  Read ingredient labels carefully.  Avoid products with ingredients that include paraben or have paraben in the name.  Also, stay away from Vitamin A or retinyl palmitate.  This has been shown in studies to actually accelerate tumor growth in the presence of sunlight.  Don’t let claims of “made for children” or “natural” ingredients fool you either.  In the recently released EWG’s SkinDeep 2012 Guide to SunScreens, Aveeno’s Active Naturals Hydrosport SPF30 rates a 7 or High Hazard.  So the word “natural” doesn’t make it safe.

Once again, Vanicream’s SunSport SPF35 made the list of Best Beach and Sport Sunscreens and was rated a 2 or Low Hazard.

Once you have selected a sunscreen, it is important that you test it first.  Place a small amount on the inside of your child’s arm.  Put it in a place where it won’t get washed away with frequent handwashing and let it stay for a day.  If a rash appears, toss the tube and try another brand.  Call your pediatrician’s office and see if they have any favorites.  If the sunscreen doesn’t cause a rash, then its safe to apply to the rest of the body.  Make sure you apply the sunscreen liberally and frequently.  This is especially important if your child sweats heavily or is playing in the water. 

If you are sending your child to daycare or a day camp, be sure to talk to the providers in advance.  Find out if they reapply sunscreen if the kids play outside for extended periods of time.  Also, it is very important to find out if you can provide your own sunscreen.  If not, find out what brands they are using and then check that brand for safety on the 2012 Guide to SunScreens.  The guide contains close to 2,000 products so chances are the one they are using will be listed and you want to make sure it is safe.  You also want to see if there is shade on the playground and find out what times of day they are scheduled to be outside. 

Active outdoor play is important, so slather on the sunscreen and get those kids out there!  They will thank you for it in 20 years.

Cheryl
The Allergy Store