Sunburn defense, Tips to protect children from harmful summer rays

By U.S. ArmyAugust 4, 2016

Summer Defense
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEE, Va. (Aug. 4, 2016) -- Protecting a child's skin from the harmful rays of the sun should be a priority all year long, but parents should be especially careful in the summer. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following precautions:

Protect babies less than 6-months of age by keeping them in the shade and out of direct sunlight.

Dress babies in lightweight clothing that covers the arms and legs, and use hats that shade the neck. Use hats and baby sunglasses to protect their eyesight. There are sunglasses that have a band to prevent them from falling off.

Apply sunscreen on infants 6-months and older when out in the sun. Choose a sunscreen that has a high sun protection factor rating and is specific for babies.

Preventing sunburn in older children starts with their clothing. Cotton material is both cool and protective. Wearing a hat with a large brim or bill protects the face. Protect eyes with sunglasses that provide 97-100 percent protection against ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays.

If a child has an allergic reaction to sunscreen, or gets a sunburn that results in blistering, pain or fever, contact your primary care manager.

The sun's rays are the strongest between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Avoid direct sun during those hours. The sun's damaging UV rays can bounce back from sand and concrete; so be particularly careful on the beach and around the swimming pool. Most of the sun's rays can come through the clouds on an overcast day so use sun protection on cloudy days. When choosing a sunscreen, look for the words "broad-spectrum" on the label. It means the sunscreen will block both UVB and UVA rays. Choose a water-resistant or waterproof sunscreen and reapply every two hours. Use a SPF of at least 15.

Rub sunscreen in well, making sure to cover all exposed areas, especially the face, nose, ears, feet, hands and even the backs of the knees. Put on sunscreen 30 minutes before going outdoors. It needs time to work on the skin. Skin protection is important for every member of the family, so team up with your children to stay protected when venturing out in the sun.

Don't forget to apply a lip coating that contains sunscreen. If the nose or some other area has been repeatedly burned during the summer, protect it completely from all the sun's rays with zinc oxide or titanium oxide ointment.

Sunburn is defined as red or blistered skin from sun overexposure. The pain and swelling starts at four hours, peaks at 24 hours and improves after 48 hours. Most sunburn is a first-degree burn that turns the skin pink or red. Prolonged sun exposure can cause blistering and a second-degree burn, but sunburn never causes a third-degree burn or scarring.

For adults and children more than 6 months of age, treat mild sunburn with ibuprofen for pain relief as soon as symptoms appear. This anti-inflammatory agent, if begun within 6 hours of sun exposure and continued for two days, can reduce the swelling and discomfort.

A 1 percent hydrocortisone cream applied three times per day also can reduce pain and swelling. A moisturizing cream can be substituted until hydrocortisone is obtained.

Soothe pain and burning by applying cool compresses to the burned area several times a day. For larger sunburns, give cool baths for 10 minutes, avoiding chills. Add 2 ounces of baking soda per tub and avoid using soap on sunburns.

Offer children extra water on the first day of the sunburn to replace the fluids lost during over-exposure and to prevent dehydration and dizziness.

If blisters develop, leave them alone -- popping them can cause infection. For broken blisters, trim off the dead skin with fine-edged scissors cleaned with rubbing alcohol. For any large open blisters, apply an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin (no prescription needed). Remove it with warm water and reapply it twice a day for three days.

Sunburn pain usually stops after two or three days. Peeling skin usually occurs on days five through seven.

Call your primary care manager if sunburn pain becomes severe, if the skins looks infected, or other serious symptoms develop.