Staying Fit Means Staying Smart When it Comes to Sun Exposure
 Ah, summer—the season of baseball games, family trips to the beach and late nights in the backyard is nearly upon us. For your little ones, this means no school, summer camp and plenty of sunshine. If your FitKids are like ours, they’ll be reluctant to slather on the sunscreen before running outside to play, but it’s vital that they do. Here are ways real parents navigate the summer sun to keep their kids burn-free.
“Simple. I put sunscreen on my daughter myself and tell her that if she doesn't let me, then she doesn't go outside. That solved it for us.”—Amy "My mom bought a spray with colors in it and my kids love it. They ask to put it on.”—Casey
“I show my children pictures of what a severe sunburn can do! My kids know the importance of sun block, as I am very fair skinned. Talk to them about it, and make it a regular part of outdoor activities. Make sure suntan lotion is always around and handy to use.”—Shauna
“We have firm rules about skin care. When my son needs to put sunscreen on, I put it on for him. If he doesn't let me, then I let him know that we have to go straight inside and he stays there until he lets me put it on. Firm, gentle, consistency is key for any rule.”—Carole Anne
“I think your approach should vary depending on how old your kids are. We've been using sunscreen on our girl since she was about 2 years old. She had fits about it at 3 and that's when we explained that if she didn't wear sunscreen, then being outside would give her the ‘big red itchy owies’ (sunburn for the rest of us). No kid wants the owies!
“Now at age 5, I put on my sunscreen, she puts on hers and I go over her again to be sure there are no missed spots. It's easier with a girl, because she likes the lotiony, girly stuff anyway.”—Kelli
“I live in Southern California, so as soon as my kids reached 6 months, I started applying sunscreen. My daughter is so used to it that now I have to be careful not to leave the bottle out or she’ll apply it herself if I’m not watching.”—Christina Five Rules for Fun in the SunWebMD recently interviewed Adelaide Hebert, MD, director of pediatric dermatology at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. “We’ve found that if you teach kids early on to protect their skin, they’ll continue as they get older,” she says. “It’s easiest to get smaller kids to wear protective clothing…they love to wear surf suits and swim shirts.” Here are her Rules for Smart Summer Skin Care that will keep your child’s skin safe and burn free this summer season:
Rule 1: Stay inside or in the shade between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Midday is when the sun’s rays are strongest, even on cloudy, hazy days.
Rule 2: All children are at risk. While pale children are most likely to burn, even darker skinned children need protection.
Rule 3: Dress your children in protective clothing. Clothing, even more than sunscreen, is essential to protecting children against too much sun.
Rule 4: Use sunblock and children’s sunscreen. Some parents worry whether sunscreen is safe for babies. Hebert says zinc oxide or titanium dioxide are safe—we already use them on our children’s skin.
Rule 5: Shade is essential to prevent sunburn. Whether your child is at the beach under a big umbrella, in a stroller with a canopy or under a solar tent, it’s important they you keep him or her covered as much as possible. |
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