Sun Safety for Kids

Protecting Skin from the Sun

SUNCARE DO’S AND DON’TS
In a tropical climate like Cayman, where the sun is strong and a good deal of time is spent outdoors, practising sun safety is essential for all ages and ethnicities.

Whilst skin melanoma is rare in children (accounting for just 3% of paediatric cancers), protecting their skin whilst young is important for their lifelong health. Suffering blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence could increase their chances of developing melanoma in the future.

Here are some important guidelines to bear in mind:

SKIN CANCER WATCH LIST

1in 5 Americans develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Over the past three years, more people have been diagnosed with skin cancer than all other types of cancer combined. Here are the main warning signs – or ABCDE’s – to look out for:

A: Asymmetry – if you draw a line through a mole, the two halves should match.

B: Border – see a doctor if the border is uneven, notched or scalloped.

C: Colour – moles should be the same colour throughout; look out for moles that include different shades of brown or black, or sometimes even patched of pink, red, white or blue.

D: Diameter – be vigilant of moles that are greater in length than 6mm (though smaller moles may also be malignant).

E: Evolving – moles that change shape, colour, size or elevation, or that bleed or itch, need to be looked at by a professional.

Protecting Eyes from the Sun

Although a recent survey showed that 82% of parents made their kids wear sunscreen, only 32% of their children wore sunglasses*. However, UV light can be equally damaging to eyes and can lead to cataracts and macular degeneration when older. Both of these conditions can cause impaired vision or blindness.
(* VSP survey of 2,000 US adults)

Infants and children lack the pigment in their eyes that help filter UV light, so making your kids wear sunglasses is crucial. This is especially important if playing on the beach, on a boat or going somewhere snowy; the reflective surfaces of sand, water and snow can almost double your UV exposure. As with skin, sun is most damaging to eyes between 10am and 4pm.

Here are six things to bear in mind when buying sunglasses for kids:

1) Glasses should offer 99-100% UV protection.
2) Select polycarbonate lenses that can take more wear and tear.
3) Wrap-around glasses offer the best protection.
4) Grey-coloured lenses are best as they absorb all colours equally so kids can see the world in natural colours.
5) Choose darker coloured lenses – you shouldn’t be able to see your child’s eyes through the lenses.
6) Expensive isn’t always best; good lenses – with full UV protection – can be bought on a budget.

Sometimes knowing what to look for is only half the battle. It can at times feel impossible to encourage stubborn little ones to wear sunglasses. Here are a few tips which might help:

• Let kids choose between colours or styles if possible.
• Go shopping for your own sunglasses at the same time so you can give each other advice – or even match up!
• Try and make a habit of putting them on whenever you leave the house, like shoes.
• Draw their attention to older kids, athletes and celebrities who are wearing shades, and make sure you always wear your own sunglasses to set a good example.
• Consider buying kid-friendly sunglasses straps to stop glasses falling off and to make sure they float if they fall into water.
• If you can’t get them to keep sunglasses on, make sure they wear wide-brimmed hats for all activities in the sun.

TOP TIP: Surprisingly, cloud cover doesn’t significantly affect UV rays. Your risk of UV exposure can be quite high even on hazy or overcast days. This is because UV is invisible radiation, not visible light, and can penetrate clouds. Make sure you always wear sunscreen and sunglasses, even on cloudy days.

For our top tips on dental care for your kids – click here!