Keep your kids safe in the sun

While skin cancer is very rare in children it is the most common cancer in 15-44 year olds in Ireland.

Research tells us that:

• Getting sunburnt in childhood or adolescence can increase the risk of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, in later life.
• Tanned skin is damaged skin. The tan a child gets may fade but the damage remains - and can lead to skin cancer later in life.
• People get most of their sun exposure before the age of 18.

You can reduce the risk of skin cancer in both children and young adults, by protecting them from UV damage, on sunny and cloudy days. Simply follow the SunSmart code. And be a good role model for children in your care – children learn habits from what they see adults doing.  

Protecting your kids from UV rays 

Here are a few tips for keeping your kids safe in the sun:

• Keep babies under 6 months in the shade at all times
• Keep older children safe by following the SunSmart Code
• Take care whether you are in Ireland or abroad - UV damage from Irish weather is just as harmful as that from warmer climates
• Take care on cloudy days too – up to 90% of UV rays can pass through light cloud

Children who are at greater risk  

This includes children who have:

• pale or freckled skin that does not tan or burns before it tans
• red or fair hair
• blue, green or grey eyes
• a large number of moles

Babies and the sun

You should keep babies under six months in the shade:

• Make use of shade that is around you and use extra shade for prams, strollers as needed
• Make sure the shade casts a dark shadow

Make sure babies are covered up:

• Dress babies in loose-fitting outfits with long sleeves and long shorts. Make sure they are made from close-woven material that does not allow sunlight through.

Sunscreen:

• If infants are kept in the shade and covered with clothes you will only need to use a small amount of sunscreen on the areas not covered with clothes.
• Choose a sunscreen that is made for children and babies. Make sure to patch test it on their skin first. If their skin reacts stop using it straight away, and try a different brand.

Babies and Vitamin D: The HSE recommends that all infants from birth to 12 months, whether breastfed or formula fed, be given a daily supplement of vitamin D. Speak to your doctor about this if you are unsure what to do.

How to prepare your kids for a day out

Hats:

• Find a hat with a wide brim that gives shade to the face, neck and ears
• A tie under the chin may stop them from taking it off

Sun glasses

• It is important that children, as soon as they can, wear wrap-around sunglasses that give UV protection 

Sunscreen:

• Only use sunscreen on those areas of the skin that cannot be protected by clothes or a hat
• Use Sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and UVA protection
• Choose a sunscreen (sprays, lotions, creams and mists) that the child likes using.
• Put plenty of it on dry skin 30 minutes before they go outside. Reapply every two hours.

Shade

• Plan outdoor events so that children can be in the shade when UV rays are at their strongest – from 11am -3pm

Get to know the UV Index. It will help you decide the type of sun protection to use.

Think about protecting your child when they are in someone else’s care: If your child is going to camp, playschool or any other location and will be out doors you will need to plan so that they can follow the SunSmart Code and still be safe in the sun.