Sun Safety For Children

 

Summer is the perfect season to get children outside and exploring.

Summer encourages children to get away from screens and reconnect with nature. However, while your family is out and about in the sun, it is important to keep them safe.

According to SKCIN.org, “A massive 80-90% of all skin cancer cases in the UK are preventable with sun safe measures.”

Here are some potentially life saving summer top tips, that we carry out at Grandir UK.

 

Keep Hydrated

It is important keep your child hydrated and provide fresh water regularly during warm weather. Especially when carrying out sports or energetic activities. Children should be encouraged to take a break every 15-20 minutes from outdoor activities to have a drink in a shaded area. Make sure to avoid outdoors activities during peak times of the day.

If your little one plays outside for long periods of time, provide them with a shaded area such as under a parasol or tree canopy with water to hand. Provide fresh water to your little one, rather than fruit juices or sugary drinks, to avoid attracting insects, such as wasps and ants.

Water Safety

Everyone loves to splash around in water to keep cool and have fun! Whether this is in the sea, swimming pool or a paddling pool in the garden. Its important to ensure your child is never left unsupervised or unattended in or near the water, even if they are a capable swimmer.

Have a conversation with your child to discuss water safety. Explain how they should never go into the water without you. If you visit a pool or the beach, introduce them to the lifeguard and explain their role.

To find out more, visit the Royal Life Saving Society UK website for lots of water saftety information and resources.

Have you considered becoming First Aid trained?

In the worst case, that a child is injured or involved in an accident whether in water or otherwise, this knowledge can prevent serious harm and even save a child’s life.

 

Protecting Children’s Skin

Did you know that children’s skin is 15 times more sensitive than an adults? Also, just one instance of sunburn in childhood can double the risk of skin cancer later in life. These facts highlight how vital it is to protect a child’s skin from the sun.

It is recommended that a minimum of SP30 sun cream be used and topped up at regular intervals. The bottle will usually specify how frequently. Choose a sun cream that is hypoallergenic and waterproof to minimise the chances of skin irritation and maximise effectiveness when playing near water. If your baby is still very young, you may not be aware of any allergies. So, choose a cream that is nut free to lessen the possibility of an adverse reaction. If your child attends a nursery or preschool, make sure you ask the establishment about their policy on sun cream.

SKCIN Sun Safety Steps Song

Through our promotion of ‘learning through play’, at our nurseries, we incorporate the SKCIN Sun Safety Steps through song:
1. SLIP on a sun t-shirt
2. SLOP on SPF 30+ broad spectrum UVA sunscreen
3. SLAP on a broad brimmed hat
4. SLIDE on quality sunglasses
5. SHADE from the sun whenever possible

This song is great way to remember they key areas of sun safety and something fun to sing to your little one.

Heat Exhaustion

Keeping young children and babies safe in the sun is vital during the spring and summer months and it is important to be aware of the key factors of sun safety, such as dehydration, heat exhaustion, sunburn and heatstroke. There are plenty of tips for keeping your child happy and healthy in the heat. The symptoms of heat exhaustion are often the same in adults and children, although children may become irritable too. If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion they need to be cooled down and given fluids.

If you would like to learn more, please visit the NHS website, which also includes key information about heat exhaustion.

Summer Wardrobe

When the sun pops out we all normally think of sun cream but, actually, it should be used as second line of defence. The first defence is to cover their skin with protective summer clothing. The clothing should be breathable but ensure their skin is kept safe from harmful UV rays.

The necessities for your child’s Summer wardrobe should always include a wide brimmed hat, such as a cap or (preferably) a legionnaire style hat that covers the back of the neck, as well as UV protection sunglasses.

When taking a trip to splash around outside at the beach or outdoor pool, make sure to kit your child out with an all-in-one swimsuit instead of a child’s bikini or trunks. These all-in-ones cover the torso and half of the child’s legs and arms to make sure the most sensitive areas are covered at all times. These suits usually have additional UV protection built in and are made of a breathable fabric to keep your little ones safe, happy and comfortable both in and out of the water.

Children love to mimic their idols – their parents and carers! So, it is natural that they would like to wear similar swim wear to you rather than protective outfits. However, you can encourage their interest and desire to wear protective clothing by taking them shopping to choose the items? Many are designed with popular children’s characters or themes, to make them appealing to young children and encourage their sense of pride when wearing them.

Never cover a pushchair with a blanket

If your little one is in a push chair, whether inside or outside during the warm weather, please never cover the opening of the buggy with a blanket (no matter how thin the fabric). Although you may think the blanket shades your child from the sun, it actually blocks the air flow. This causes the temperature under the cover to rise very quickly to a dangerous level. Instead, attach a parasol to shade your child from the sun while keeping them safe and cool. The parasol can be adjusted to move with the sun.

 

Summer is an amazing season to create memories, soak up the vitamin D and get that all-important fresh air whilst connecting with friends, family and the natural environment. However, a safe summer is a better summer for everyone, in the short term and long term.