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Focus On Health

Things That Bite or Sting

Making Water Safe

Healthful Foods for Your Toddler

Sun Savvy

Avoiding Tummy Upsets

Protecting Your Childrens Vision

Protecting Your Vision

Picnic Safe Foods

Water Safety

Successful Toilet Training

Your Childs Suncare Needs

Seniors Children and the Sun

Age Targeted Vitamins

Your Childs Suncare Needs

Should Babies Wear Sunscreen?
The delicate skin of infants is no match for the sun, even when protected by sunscreen. In fact, a young baby’s skin is so delicate that it may absorb much of what is applied to it, including the chemicals present in sunscreens. It is therefore not advisable to apply sunscreen to a child of under six months - even one formulated for babies.

To protect your infant from the sun, be sure to cover her stroller with a sunshade, or drape light fabric over it. If you are carrying your little one for a short distance in the sun, make sure that she is wearing a sunhat and that her skin is covered by light clothing. A newborn’s skin should never be exposed to the sun.

Remember too that infants easily become dehydrated in hot weather. Offer your baby water, diluted juice or a pediatric electrolyte formula frequently to ensure he stays well hydrated.

Protection for Older Babies
As soon as your baby turns six months old, it is safe to apply a sunblock specially formulated for little ones, such as new Coppertone® Spectra3® for babies, with SPF 50. This product contains micronized zinc oxide, which absorbs the sun’s harmful rays before they come into contact with your baby’s skin.

Sunscreens/blocks should be applied 30 minutes prior to sun exposure and every two hours afterwards for as long as your baby remains exposed. Remember that sunscreen/sunblock alone is inadequate protection for young skins and make sure that your baby also wears a wide-brimmed sunhat and light clothing that covers his body, arms and legs if he is playing in the sun. Babies and young children should not be exposed to sunshine between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Children and the Sun

You may have heard it said that just one sunburn during childhood greatly increases a person’s risk of developing skin cancer later on in life. If this is not good enough reason to make sure your child is well protected from sunlight, consider these facts:

Almost 40 percent of children sustain a sunburn before age one.
Close to 80 percent of a lifetime’s exposure to the sun takes place before age 18.

Here are some pointers on protecting your child from the dangers of UV exposure:

Cover up. Make sure your child is wearing clothes made from tightly-woven fabric. On sunny days, be sure to apply sunscreen under clothing for extra protection. Children should also wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that protect them against UVA and UVB light.

More is better. Most parents apply only one-quarter of the sunscreen required to prevent skin damage. One half of an adult palmful of sunscreen is the correct amount for a small child.

Watch shadows. The shorter a child’s shadow, the more intense the rays of the sun. Teach your child to play in the shade or indoors when her shadow is shorter than she is.

Apply early. Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen such as Coppertone® Spectra3® for children, 30 minutes before your child goes out in the sun allows time for the active agents to settle in the skin and to provide proper protection.

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