Sun Safety Parents Guide
SUNBURN
Definition
From the Seattle Children’s Hospital
• Red or blistered skin from sun overexposure
• The pain and swelling starts at 4 hours, peaks at 24 hours, and improves after 48 hours
Degrees of Sunburn
• 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.
• Sunburn never causes a third-degree burn or scarring.
TIP Please see our exclusive Sun Pyramid, to learn the UV index for sun-safety guidelines. On the same page, we have a section for you to check the UV radiation in your area or for your vacation destination (USA only). Just enter your zip code to see the results.
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| .TIP The
best times to spend outdoors, even at the beach, are early in
the morning and late in the afternoon. When the sun is mild. Check our seasonal sun-burn prevention. |
When to call the Doctor for
Sun-Burn
From the Seattle Children’s Hospital
! Call 911 if…..
* Your child has passed out or is too weak to stand
Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• Fever above 104° F (40° C)
• Unable to look at lights because of eye pain
• Extremely painful sunburn
• Looks infected (e.g., draining pus, red streaks, increasing tenderness after day 2)
Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 am and 4 pm) If
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Large blisters (over ½ inch or 1.25 cm)
• Many small blisters
• Swollen feet interfere with walking
• Blisters on the face
Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If
• You have other questions or concerns
Parent Care at Home If
• Mild sunburn and you don't think your child needs to be seen
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.Travel Tip
Aloe
Vera works wonderfully if it is handy, and most hotels carry it. There
are also gentle moisturizers such as cocoa or Shea butter and petroleum
jelly that can alleviate your child’s minor sunburn. While planning
your next vacation, take precautions and bring one of the above with
you just in case you need it. |
| TIPS for natural home remedies for minor sunburns | | The fist remedy on our list is prevention. | Wear sun protective clothing. It’s as simple as that and by far safer than any chemical sunscreen. Sun
protective clothing will do the job of protecting your child’s delicate
skin. Please read our article about the chemicals on sunscreens and
choose the one appropriate for the type of skin of your child. You can
also prevent sun damage and sunburn with a hat and sunglasses.
| | Next on our list, cut up some potatoes. Strange
as it may seem, this old traditional home remedy is safe for the
children. Perhaps best of all, it can be done right at home without
having to drive down to the store in the middle of the night. Just get
2 potatoes, wash them, cut them into small cubes and blend them in the
blender or food processor. Gently pat your child’s skin with the pureed
potato. You can also place the pureed potato on a clean gauze and place
on the burn. | | Don’t have a potato? Slice some cucumbers
instead. Wash them well and cut them into small thin layers. Place the
cool slices on the burn. Kids can have fun and distract their minds
from the pain by helping place the cucumbers and turning them over
later. They can even eat the leftovers too! | | Another remedy, take a soak in a cool oatmeal bath. It
shouldn’t be cold but instead just cool enough to offer a wonderful
relief for an irritated, minor burn. A half cup to a cup of oatmeal
mixed with the water will be fine. Do not use soap. Afterwards, pat
your child gently with a soft towel. | | Cold Milk besides
being a good source of vitamin D, it can be a great option right out of
your fridge. Soak a soft facecloth in equal parts cold milk and cool
water, wring it out, and gently press it on the minor burns. |
Sun Safety at Schools
THE SUNWISE PROGRAM
by the USA Environmental Protection Agency
The SunWise School Program is an environmental and health education program that aims to teach children and their caregivers how to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun. Through the use of classroom-, school-, and community-based components, SunWise seeks to develop sustained sun-safe behaviors in schoolchildren.
SunWise Schools receive materials that facilitate cross-curricular classroom learning. The program also encourages schools to provide a sun-safe infrastructure, including shade structures (e.g., canopies, trees) and policies (e.g., using hats, sunscreen, sunglasses) that promote sun protection in a school setting. Though based in schools, SunWise also supports community partnerships, such as inviting guest speakers to school assemblies, to enhance sun safety efforts.
.TIP Get involved at your child’s school and support sun-safe policies. Let's protect our next generations by creating awareness about skin cancer and other sun-induced skin conditions. Don’t forget to educate your children on the dangers of artificial tanning.
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