Remember to follow sun safety guidelines to protect your kids from sunburn.

Story by: Alex Welch on June 28, 2021

Remember to follow sun safety guidelines to protect your kids from sunburn. It only takes 15 minutes to get sunburned, but the effects last for much longer. Effects can include discomfort, dehydration and dizziness. More severe effects can include nausea, fever and blistering. Sunburns also can lead to skin cancer.

Start creating healthy habits with your kids this summer to protect them from skin damage.

Kids sunburn prevention

• Limit sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Apply sunscreen on dry skin 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure.
• Remember to reapply:
  • After 30 minutes in the sun
  • After swimming or sweating
  • Every two hours
  • Learn more about good sunscreen practices.
• Use a sunscreen that is sun protection factor (SPF) 30 or higher and has broad spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB ultraviolet rays).
• Wear protective clothing such as hats, sunglasses and rash guards.
• For children 6 months and under, keep exposure to a minimum and apply sunscreen liberally to exposed areas.
• For more information, visit the sun safety tips page of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Kids sunburn care

Bring back joyful memories from your summer adventures, not souvenirs in the form of kids’ sunburns. Try your best to avoid sunburns. In the event that your kids do sunburn, get out of the sun as quickly as possible.

Make sure to encourage rest and hydration. Use cool compresses to provide relief. Avoid extreme temperatures; exposing the burn to temperatures too warm or too cold can be incredibly painful. Apply aloe vera or lotion to the burn. Store the product it in the refrigerator for up to five minutes before applying, for an added cooling effect.

Know when to contact health care professionals. Contact emergency services if your child has an extremely painful sunburn that blisters or covers a large area, or if the child experiences fever or chills, headache, confusion or faintness, or signs of dehydration.

Kids sunburn! And so do adults

Remember, kids aren’t the only ones at risk for sunburns. Make sure to model good sun safety. Lather up! Applying sunscreen sets a positive example for your kids.

Set a timer to remind yourself of reapplication times, and reward kids for remembering to reapply after activity.

Try making reapplication into a game. Who can make the silliest reapplication face? Who can stand the stillest while getting sunscreen applied? Who dries off the fastest after hopping out of the pool?

Make sun safety fun. Choose protective clothing that your kids enjoy. Pack an umbrella or a tent. If you are spending time in the brightest parts of the day, take breaks in shaded areas.

Make sure to hydrate, refuel, and reapply. An overheated or sunburned child won’t be able to participate in all the summer fun.