Extra care for kids before fun in the sun

Summer in Colorado, what a treat for those sun worshippers among us! Finally, time to enjoy the long toasty days filled with picture perfect blue skies cherished by the locals. And what could be more fun than spending the day outside hiking, camping, or watching children play while sipping icy mint lemonade? Since summer has blessed us in full force, remember that children need some extra care during the fun in the sun campaign.

With high temperatures and outdoor activities, children can quickly become dehydrated, sun burned, and even develop heat exhaustion. Living in Colorado places children at an increased risk for some of these health challenges both due to sun exposure and high altitude. One very important reason to protect children from long sun exposures is that skin cancer represents the most common type of cancer and accounts for about half of all cancers in the US. About 3% of skin cancers are melanomas. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 62,480 new cases of melanoma in 2008 and about 8, 420 people will die this year of melanoma. Sunburns during childhood and adolescence significantly increase the risk of developing melanoma. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about 65%-95% of melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light or sunlight. Protecting children, adolescents, and adults from UV radiation can reduce the incidence of skin cancers including melanoma. Practicing smart summer sun tips and understanding risk factors benefits the entire family.

What are some of the common risk factors for skin cancer?  There are several important risks families should know:

• Fair complexion;
• Family history of skin cancer;
• Personal history of skin cancer;
• Exposure to sun through work or play;
• Sunburns early in life;
• Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or turns painful with sun exposure;
• Green or blue eyes;
• Blond or red hair;
• Certain types of moles; and
• Large number of moles.

What can be done to protect children?  For families to protect against skin cancer from occurring later in life, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Cancer Society recommend the following:

• Avoid direct sunlight for babies younger than 6 months, trees, umbrellas, or a stroller canopy can provide shade;
• When possible, wear cool, comfortable clothing that covers the body, like lightweight cotton pants, long-sleeved shirts, and hats;
• Tight weave clothes made provide better protection than loose weave, (tight weave clothes allow less light to shine through);
• Protect the face with a brimmed hat or cap with a brim that faces forward;
• UV rays are the most powerful between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, so limit exposure during this time;
• Children require child-sized sunglasses with at least 99% UV protection;
• Apply sunscreen with a SPF of 15 or higher; and
• Parents are the best teachers by practicing sun protection yourself and teaching all family members to protect their skin and eyes.

Some tips for applying sunscreen include:

• Cover all exposed areas, especially the face, nose, ears, feet, and hands and even the backs of the knees and tops of feet by rubbing in ample sunscreen;
• Remember that sunscreen needs time for skin absorption so apply it 30 minutes prior to outdoor activities;
• The sun’s UV rays penetrate even on cloudy days, so remember to use sunscreen;
• Powerful UV rays can reflect from water, sand, snow, and concrete, so Colorado is a year round sunscreen state; and
• Once is never enough, reapply sunscreen every 2 hours and remember sunscreen wears off with swimming, sweating, or from soaking into the skin.

So keep the entire family burn free this summer with proper protection from the sun and don’t forget to
keep drinking water to hydrate the body and the skin. See you at the pool!

(c) 2010 Chris Marchioni, MD