Protecting infants and young children from the sun

Parents! Take this quiz: In which month is sun protection for infants and young children especially important?
a) June b) July c) August d) September

1. The (maybe surprising) answer: a) June. Many adults erroneously associate sun problems with hot weather and believe that serious sun protection is not necessary until the hot summer months of July and August. In fact, weather has nothing to do with sun intensity. In June, the sun is directly overhead and the sun shines more hours a day, resulting in more exposure. Also, in June protective tans from the previous summer have vanished, leaving children (and adults) somewhat more vulnerable to burning.

Here some facts about protecting kids:

2. Infants’ skin is especially prone to sun damage. Their skin is thinner and contains less melanin, the substance in skin that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays. Keep infants less than 6 months of age out of the sun. If exposure is unavoidable, dress them in clothing that covers their bodies. Include wide brims hats to shadow their faces. If sun exposure is unavoidable, make the exposure period brief and use the same protective measures (clothing and sunscreens) used for older children. Using sunscreens is safer than risking sunburns.

3. Tanning is unhealthy. Tans are mild sunburns. The immediate damage is imperceptible. Generally, even sunburns heal promptly and leave no visible scarring. Don’t let this lull you into complacency. The sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes irreversible damage to the DNA in skin cells. The damage is cumulative for life. Deliberate tanning to prevent burning is counterproductive; frequent tanning may cause more cumulative damage than an occasional sunburn. Common skin damage includes wrinkling and skin cancer, often melanoma, a very aggressive type of cancer. One blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence almost doubles the risk of developing a melanoma.

4. Summer vacations tend to increase sun exposure. Vacations increase time spent outdoors, often at beaches or around pools, while wearing flimsy attire. Families travel to tropical and mountain resorts where UV radiation is more intense. Traditional “protective” beach apparel – white T-shirts, for example, especially when wet – provide virtually no protection. Clothing that is virtually 100% protective is available. The more skin covered by such clothing, the greater the protection and the less the need for sunscreens. Note that bodies of water reflect UV rays, virtually doubling the amount of UV radiation reaching you. Also, UV radiation penetrates three feet (one meter) of water, placing water sport participants at higher risk.

5. Car rides can lead to unintended sun exposure. Ultraviolet Type A radiation (UV-A) penetrates car window glass and damages skin DNA, says the Skin Cancer Foundation. In the US, by law, front windshields are treated to filter out most UV-A, but side and rear windows generally aren’t. Consider buying a UV-A shield, which you can hang over any window that allows sunlight to reach the child’s car seat. Or, consider professional protective window film (but check local regulations for these). Otherwise, it’s best for infants to wear sun-protective clothing in cars.

6. Familiarize yourself with the UV Index. Daily readings of sun intensity are available on the web for every location in many countries. Forecasts include predictions for the next few days and recommendations for minimizing skin damage based on the day’s sun intensity. In the US, see https://www.epa.gov/sunsafety/uv-index-1.

7. Eye protection is as important as skin protection. Infants’ eyes absorb more harmful radiation than do adults’. Ideally, infants should wear sunglasses or stay out of the sun to reduce the risk of cataracts in later life. Get sunglasses that wrap around towards the ears to protect the sensitive skin of the eyelids. Avoid “fun” or “novelty” sunglasses. These are marketed for young children for fun but offer no protection. Buy sunglasses at reputable stores that sell eyeglasses. (Convincing infants to keep sunglasses on is challenging. See kidstraveldoc.com/sunglasses for tips.)

8. Other protective measures. Hats with four-inch brims help protect the eyes, neck and forehead. Being in the shade of a building but having a blue sky or fluffy white clouds directly above offers little protection. Being under a beach umbrella protects from direct radiation but allows considerable radiation reflected from water and sand. Have sunshades on strollers; some specifically block radiation. Dirt, grass and concrete reflect comparatively little radiation.

9. There is no need to expose children to the sun to maintain healthy bones. True, the sun’s UV radiation enables the skin to absorb Vitamin D. In turn, vitamin D allows the intestine to absorb calcium from food. Calcium is necessary for strong, healthy bones, especially in young children. However, studies show that the necessary exposure time to the sun to absorb Vitamin D in otherwise healthy children is so minimal that no special time period needs to be set aside for this purpose. Moreover, many foods are fortified with Vitamin D.

10. African-American children also need protection from the sun. It is a misconception that children with much melanin in their skin are immune from sun damage. While the incidence of skin cancer in this group is very low, parents must be especially vigilant. The darker the skin the more difficult it is to spot skin abnormalities.

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