Sun Safety Tips For Children

Sun is a permanent source of energy. Sunlight is necessary for the overall growth of a child. We all know that sun-rays help in building vitamin D in our body which is very useful in absorbing calcium for strong bones. However, excessive exposure to sunlight leads to a number of skin related ailments. It is therefore important that we save the kids from unnecessary exposure to sunlight.

How can we ensure sun safety for kids? What about the harms being caused by it? How about staying for a longer duration in the sun rays especially unprotected exposure to sun? All these questions have the same relevance for the kids as well as for the elders. Certainly it is going to do more harm then good. One should know the advantages and disadvantages of the exposure to the sunrays.

We all know that it can cause skin damage, eye damage; affect the immune system and can even cause cancer. In US alone a large number of people are facing the problem of skin cancer. Sun safety for kids is really a big issue. There are several dangers associated with unprotected exposure to sunlight. You can just imagine as to how alarming it could be for kids. We all know that majority of the kids spent a lot of time in the sun. So, they should know the proper way to have fun under the sun. By teaching them the right way to take all precautions you can save them from developing skin cancer or other equally dangerous diseases.

Kids seldom realize the harmful effects of staying out in the sun for the longer hours. Sun safety for kids is must for every parent. Being an aware parent you need to take all precautions and tell them to follow it as well. But first of all they should know how the sunrays cause damage to our skin. We all know that the sunrays carry ultraviolet rays to the earth. These ultra violets are of three types: UVA, UVB and UVC. Due to the exposure to these rays our body may get sun tan, sun burns or any other skin damage.

Exposure to the UVA causes skin ageing, wrinkling and can even lead to melanoma skin cancer. The same holds true for the UVB rays which also cause sunburns, cataracts and immune system damage and also contributes to melanoma. Although majority of the UVB rays are absorbed by the ozone layer, still some of it reaches the earth. However, the third and most dangerous form, i.e. UVC does not reach earth due to the ozone layer.

So, now you know how harmful, these ultraviolet rays are. The exposure to sunrays causes skin cancer. You need to teach your children to protect themselves from these harmful rays to avoid skin damage. You can plan accordingly for sun safety for kids.

But doesn’t the human body have anything natural which can guard us against sunrays. Certainly, yes. Our body’s first line of defense is Melanin. It really helps in lowering the chances of skin cancers and skin damages. The UV rays react with this chemical called melanin which is found in our skin. It helps in absorbing harmful UV rays much before they do serious skin damage. It is also responsible for the different skin colors. If melanin is higher then the skin color will be much darker however if the melanin is low the skin color will be lighter. So you can easily understand that a person with dark complexion has a higher level of melanin while a person with lighter skin has a lower level of melanin to protect it. But it is not that the dark skin people don’t require any protection to save themselves from the UV rays.

They are also required to follow certain precautions to save themselves from direct sunrays. The fair complexioned people need to take extra care as the UV rays can cause freckles. If your skin is exposed to the sun for a longer duration then the melanin will also increase accordingly. However, if the exposure continues for longer period then it causes serious damages to your skin. A sun burn is being caused when the amount of the UV exposure is higher than what can be protected by the skin melanin. However, unprotected sun exposure is even more dangerous for the kids as who have moles on their skin. You should be very careful about your kid’s health and take all precautions to ensure sun safety for kids.

The most effective way is to use hats, long clothes for the kids to save them from direct sunlight. Do not allow them to take bath outside in a swimming pool or in a lake for long hours. The water surface is the best reflector for the sunrays and remaining in its contact for longer hours can cause skin damage to the kids. Kids do not understand the gravity of the situations and they love to enjoy water sports. But being an informed parent you should not allow them to be in water sports for longer hours. If possible, tell them to apply sunscreen cream on their body to help them protect themselves from the direct sunrays.

While selecting these items you need be very careful and should not overlook the basic requirements you need to protect their skin. So, you should take all precaution in saving your kids skin and from other dangers as well. So, go with all your best preparation to get sun safety for kids.