Summer is officially here! As the weather warms up and you and your family start spending more time outside, it’s important to keep sun safety in mind to ensure a healthy and happy season. Check out the following Q & A with CHOC Pediatrician, Mark Colon, M.D., for some great tips about sunscreen.

Q:  At what age can I begin putting sunscreen on my child, and what SPF is best for young children?

A:  A child is never too young for sunscreen. But it’s wise to keep babies under 6 months out of direct sunlight altogether. Their thin skin can burn after just minutes in the sun. Dress infants in lightweight cotton pants, a long-sleeved shirt and a broad-brimmed hat for added protection.

Before using sunscreen, test a patch on your child’s back to make sure there’s no allergic reaction. Look for sunscreen that includes:

• “Broad-spectrum” on the label. This means it will screen out both UVB and UVA rays.
• SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15 for UVB protection, and 45 for babies.
• The new UVA “star” rating. Four stars is the highest protection available in an over-the-counter sunscreen, and the best for children

For sensitive areas, such as the nose, tops of the ears and the shoulders, choose a sunscreen with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

While there are sunscreens made particularly for babies and toddlers, the most important thing to remember is that the higher the SPF and UVA stars, the better. For best results, apply sunscreen 30 minutes before sun exposure. And remember to re-apply every two hours and after swimming.

A final note – just because your children are using sunscreen doesn’t mean they can stay in the sun all day. It just means they’re lessening the risks of sun damage.

Do you have any great sun safety tips? Post a comment and share!

Did you know melanoma – the most common and deadliest form of skin cancer – is linked to excessive sun exposure during childhood? Studies indicate that as few as four severe sunburns before age 16 greatly can increase the risk of melanoma in later life.

The number of reported cases of melanoma is rising in epidemic proportions, says oncologist Leonard Sender, M.D., Medical Director of the CHOC Cancer Institute. The disease is being increasingly diagnosed in younger adults.  Given the popularity of tanning among young people, it is important that parents educate their children about too much exposure to the sun and the effects of tanning beds.

A new study from the University of Minnesota, featured on the American Cancer Society’s website, found that people who use tanning beds are more likely to develop melanoma, than those who don’t. The study also found that the risk of getting melanoma is associated more with how much a person tans and not the age at which a person starts using tanning devices. Risk rises with frequency of use, regardless of age, gender, or device.

Fortunately, there’s quite a lot you can do about it. Sunscreen is very important, but it does not completely protect your child from the sun. To fully protect your child, long sleeves, pants, sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat are a must. Try to avoid outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the brightest part of the day.

Also, Dr. Sender advises parents to make sunscreen a morning habit, rain or shine, every day of the year. Apply it liberally to the face, top of the ears, back of the neck, and then to any other parts of the body that will be exposed. At the beach or the pool, reapply sunscreen whenever your child comes out of the water. For more sun safety tips, click here: http://www.choc.org/community/index.cfm?id=P00374
 
To learn more about CHOC Children’s Cancer Institute, click here: http://www.choc.org/cancer/index.cfm?id=P00147

Although the official first day of summer is still a couple weeks away, kids in Orange County are already gearing up for summer, with school out starting next week! For parents this could mean trying to keep your little ones busy throughout their vacation. For some kids, summer can also be a time for packing on extra pounds if they don’t keep active.

A recent study suggests that for the youngest students, summer months may be worse than the school year when it comes to weight gain. Researchers think children may eat more during the summer, when the days are less structured. Also, physical education during the school year may help kids burn extra calories.

Just like adults, kids need to balance the calories they eat with the calories they burn to prevent extra pounds. That means healthy eating and an hour of physical activity on most days of the week.

Luckily, summer’s sunshine offers the chance to get out and get moving. Follow these tips to help keep your kids happy – and healthy – this summer:

• Plan active vacations. Take a trip to the mountains and hike. Or, bike around your neighborhood.
• Limit screen time—including TV and video games—to two hours a day or less. Encourage your kids to go outside and play. Hopscotch, swimming, tag and hide-and-go-seek all count as exercise.
• If they’re interested, sign your kids up for a summer sports league.
•  Walk with your family instead of driving to visit friends or run errands in the neighborhood.
• To help strengthen your muscles, try working in the garden together.