Protecting children in the sun
Is there any research indicating the time difference between an adult and a child burning in the midday sun? I understand children’s skins are more prone to burning because their skin is thinner.
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Babies and young children do have thinner, more delicate skin than adults. Because of this, their risk of getting sunburnt is much higher. We have been unable to find any statistics that compare the rate of time it takes for a child to burn compared to an adult. Such statistics could be misleading for parents and divert from the most important message that children burn very quickly in the sun. Children need to be protected, not just from painful sunburn, but from developing skin cancer.
You should keep children and yourself out of the sun when it is at its hottest. You should never use a sun bed. Remember to
- Spend time in the shade between 11 and 3
- Make sure you never burn
- Aim to cover up with a t-shirt, hat and sunglasses
- Remember to take extra care with children
- Then use factor 15+ sunscreen
Babies and children should always wear brimmed hats in the sun. Baseball caps may look smart, but they leave the back of the neck and ears completely exposed. The 'foreign legion' type is much better, with a cloth flap that covers the back of the neck. These are now widely available for babies and young children.
Don't forget to protect your children’s eyes as well as your own. Wear good quality, wrap around sunglasses. Wrap arounds stop the sun from getting in at the sides. Buy these for children too - toy sunglasses can do more harm than good. Look for the sticker on the lenses that tells you that the sunglasses provide proper UV protection. If there is no sticker, don't buy them.
The amount of protection you get from your clothes varies depending on the type of material. The closer the weave of the fabric, the more likely it is to keep the sun off. Thin, loose weave fabrics such as cheesecloth give very little protection. Close weave cotton (T shirt material) gives quite good protection.
In the UK, clothing manufacturers (particularly children's clothing) are beginning to put sun protection factor labels in their clothes. The higher the number, the more protection the clothing gives. Wet fabric can stretch and lose some of its ability to protect from the sun. High protection factor sunsuits are now available to give children and adults greater protection on the beach.
Skin types play a part in how quickly you will burn. They are divided into 6 categories. People with skin type 1 are pale skinned, have freckles, light coloured eyes and fair or red hair. These people burn easily in the sun and never tan. People with skin type 5 and 6 have dark brown or black skin, dark eye colour and dark hair. They almost never burn in the sun.
Taking precautions in the sun is vital for everyone, but especially important for children.
Cancer Research UK run a SunSmart campaign to highlight the importance of being safe in the sun and this includes a section on children and the sun.
There is information about both types of skin cancer on the CancerHelp UK website. Click on the links below
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