Protect your Children Now

by Betty Mitchell RN BSN
Parish Nurse, Emmanuel Bethel Church, Royal Oak, Michigan

A few precautions taken with your children now can help reduce their risk for skin cancer later in life. Their skin needs protection whenever they are out in the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Be careful to apply a sunscreen with at least an SPF 15 and UVA and UVB protection each time your child goes out in the sun. Pay special attention to the ears, nose, lips and tops of feet. Be especially alert to reapplying the sunscreen after your child swims or gets sweaty, even if you have used waterproof or water-resistant sunscreen.

If your child is under 6 months of age be sure to read the package recommendations or contact your doctor for guidelines. Best advice is to keep your infant out of the sun and in the shade.

Shade is the best way to avoid the UV rays during midday and to help prevent sunburns, not just for relief after a sunburn occurs.

Wearing long sleeve shirts will protect the skin from the UV rays. However, if this is not practical, applying sunscreen and seeking shade are the better choices.

Hats with brims that will protect the face, scalp, ears and neck will provide good protection to the skin. Be sure to apply sunscreen to areas the hat does not protect from the sun’s rays.

Exposure of the eyes to the sun’s damaging rays may cause cataracts later in life. Wearing sunglasses that protect the eyes from both the UVA and UVB rays are best.

Remember, the sun’s rays will reflect off the water, cement, sand and white painted areas to cause skin damage, too. Clouds do not block the harmful UV rays. Protect your child’s skin whenever there is a possibility of being exposed to the sun to prevent future damage.

Now that you have your children protected from the sun, be sure to find a shady area, put on sunscreen, a hat, shirt and sunglasses yourself. Your skin and eyes need to be protected, too!

Source: www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/children.htm; www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/sun-safety.htm.
“From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised.”
(Psalm 113:3)