The trees were covered with soothing greenery. Mercury in thermometers outside the window jumped to my joy by a good dozen or so degrees. And the sun reigned on the sky for days. As a newly baked mother, tired of over half a year’s Polish winter and longing for long spring walks, I felt that the beautiful weather awakens in me great enthusiasm and unbridled energy.
As soon as she knocked out 11:00, I dressed my child in a lightweight sweatshirt, put on a lighter cap, packed a stroller bag, put on a denim jacket and almost ran outdoors. First a short walk through the park, then shopping and a slow walk back home. Little snoozes pleased. Mum is walking happily. The sun is shining, birds are spitting, silence, peace and relaxation. When my descendant came back, he was still sleeping, so I decided to leave the pram on the terrace – as we know, in the open air the best! As I decided, I did and went, as befits a Polish Mother, to make up for all the delays at home.
Protect your child from the sun?
Some time passed when suddenly my blissful peace was interrupted by a terrible scream – that’s how my little one woke up. I rush to the terrace, take it out of my wheelchair and everything becomes clear. A rummy donut pours a crying blind into me – I cooked my baby! The little one was all sweaty, his clothes were wet, and what’s worse, his face became orange-red. My spring euphoria was accompanied by empty thoughtlessness. Why did I not protect my child from the sun when I was in usury? Why didn’t I lay out my umbrellas at midday? Why didn’t I use a cream with a filter? – I threw them away mercilessly. So many times have I written articles about the harmful effects of the sun, and here is such a mistake! Luckily, nothing bad happened and the little one left with his life – without sunburn. I, stressed and confused, got a good lesson! Now I’m paying much more attention to the weather and I think I’ve become more aware!
Protecting your child from the sun
Infant sun protection is an issue that no parent should forget or ignore. Kids have very thin skin, which can burn very easily. Recent studies have shown that babies who have had a sun stroke at least once during their childhood are twice as likely to develop skin cancer (malignant melanoma). It is believed that as much as 90% of all skin cancers are caused by the harmful effects of the sun. But I don’t want to frighten anyone here, because that’s not what it’s all about, all the more so because every sober parent is aware of the harmfulness of UV radiation. I am just referring to a blunt reminder. In the 21st century, the erroneous belief that a tanned child is a healthy child and a pale child is a sick one is being abandoned. And although the bronze tan is on the top, unfortunately it is not on health!
And how, in fact, can babies be protected from the sun?
Well, first of all we have to remember what I have unfortunately forgotten. Such little kids should not be exposed to the sun at all! The skin of babies should ALWAYS be shaded, with a nacelle booth, an umbrella attached to the stroller, or at least with a tetra-dish nappy. Of course, you should not forget about the cream with a filter either. A suitable protective emulsion should be used to lubricate not only the baby’s face, but also his hands, legs and exposed body. Not only when the sun is at its peak, but also during cloudy days (!). It is also important to wear a headgear – although you should not overdo it here, because your head is a great fan, through which as much as 40% of the heat escapes. A lightweight cap with a roof or a breathable hat are ideal, and in children’s clothing stores there is such a wide range of products that it’s easy to find the right headgear for hot days.
Sun protection also includes protection of sight. The sun has a harmful effect not only on the skin but also on the eyes. If your 8-month-old child spends a lot of time outdoors, whether in the garden or on the beach, you should equip him or her with professional sunglasses with a protective filter. Younger dragons must have enough shade.
As you can see, infant sun protection is just a few simple points:
avoiding full sunshine and looking for shaded places,
the use of appropriate sunscreen products,
wearing protective clothing, caps, two layers of breathable clothing,
wearing sunglasses for children.
Adhering to these rules is enough to avoid problems now and take care of your little one’s health in the future. Although, as it turns out, it is sometimes with this remembrance that it is most difficult. That’s why I decided to write about it! Remembering makes you aware, and science does not go into the forest. I wish you a happy and safe experience of the beautiful sunny days.
~ DC ~ DC