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Sun protection

Baby health

Sun protection

Babies have thinner skin and underdeveloped melanin, so their skin burns easily. Too much unprotected exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression, and developing skin cancer. Sunburn can also cause considerable pain and discomfort in the short term.

How to keep children safe from the sun?
Stay in the shade: Encourage your child to play in the shade, especially between 10am and 4pm, when the sun is at its strongest. Children playing in water and babies under the age of 6 months are especially vulnerable.

Use sunscreen: Apply sunscreen to your child on the areas that are not protected by clothing, such as the face, ears, feet and backs of hands, even on cloudy or overcast days. Use one that has SPF15 or higher and protects against UVA and UVB. When swimming, use a water-resistant sunscreen of SPF15 or above. Do not use sunscreen on children age below 6 month.

Cover up: Cover your child up in loose cotton clothes, such as an oversized T-shirt with sleeves. Be especially careful to protect your child’s when they’re playing in water because then they don’t realize that it’s hot. 

Wear sunglasses: Protect your child’s eyes with sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection.

What are the symptoms of sunburn?

How to treat sunburn?

Things not to do:

When to get medical help?
If the sunburn is severe and blisters develop, call your doctor. Tell your child not to scratch, pop, or squeeze the blisters, which can get infected and cause scarring.

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