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Except for the occasional spring showers or spring thunder storms, depending on where you live, Spring Time can be a fun time for kids to play outside.
Often, the temperatures aren't anywhere near as high as they are going to get in the summer, and you don't usually have to worry about mosquitoes very much yet.
The milder temperatures can lower your guard to the risk of sunburn though.
Even parents who wouldn't think of sending their kids outside during the summer without a heavy coating of a sunscreen with SPF 50 might forget about sunscreen on those first few sunny days in early Spring.
That's a big mistake though, and often leadds to the first sunburn of the season. And since every sunburn increasing your child's risk of skin cancer later in life, even one sunburn is too many.
So be careful and remember to use sunscreen, even when the temperatures don't seem very high and the sun doesn't seem very strong.
Remember, there are many sunscreens available for safe use in children over six months old. Pick one that offers UVA and UVB protection and that has a SPF of 15 or higher (especially if your child has light skin). Apply the sunscreen in a thick coat at least 30-45 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours (or more often in he is swimming or perspiring heavily).
Here are some other tips to protect your child from the damaging effects of the sun.
- Wear protective clothing, including a hat and long sleeve shirt and long pants. Keep in mind that most clothing only has a SPF of 5-9, so you can still get sun damage with a shirt on.
- Limit exposure to the sun when it is at its strongest (10am-4pm).
- Protect your child's eyes with sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB radiation.
- Use sunscreen daily, even if it is cloudy, since most of the sun's radiation penetrates clouds and can still cause sunburn.
- Consider using a sunscreen with ingredients (such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) that physically block the sun's radiation if your child has sensitive skin.
- Deet lowers the effectiveness of sunscreens, so use a higher SPF if you are using a combination product that has both a sunscreen and an insect repellant.
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