HealthyCanada.com

2004/7/12

It's wonderful to let your baby enjoy the fresh air and light of a beautiful summer day but make sure you follow some basic sun safety guidelines.

A baby's skin is delicate and sunburns easily. Recent research found severe sunburn in childhood increases the risk of melanoma the most deadly form of skin cancer later in life.

Here are some tips to ensure that you and your baby avoid the danger of sunburn while enjoying a sunny day in the park:

• Stay out of the sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when the sun's rays are most powerful.
• Make sure you keep your baby in the shade when you're outdoors.
• Protect your baby's eyes with a hat with a wide brim.  If you also decide to use sunglasses for your baby find ones that block ultraviolet light. Don't use toy sunglasses.
•  Babies can get sunburned on overcast days too. So you need to take the same precautions on cloudy days as you do on sunny ones.
• Infants should be dressed in lightweight long pants and long-sleeved shirts.
• Remember to apply sunscreen lotions to your baby and yourself when you're in the sun. You should use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Apply the sunscreen 30 minutes before you go outside and then reapply it every two hours when you're outdoors.
• Make sure your stroller has a sunshade.

If your baby does get a sunburn apply cool wet towels on the sunburned areas. If a sunburn causes blisters or chills call your doctor.