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Sun Safety Facts

September 13, 2011

Summer is just around the corner and the sun is really heating things up. Did you know that most children accumulate between 50% - 80% of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18?! As summer begins, time to arm yourself with information so that you can protect yourself and your children while enjoying outside activities.

Everyone needs some sun exposure; it’s our primary source of Vitamin D, which helps us absorb calcium to build stronger, healthier bones. But it doesn’t take much time in the sun for most people to get the Vitamin D they need. Repeated unprotected exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, immune system suppression and skin cancer.

Seek Shade Plan inside activities during the hours when the sun is strongest; use a tree, umbrella, or pop-up tent to stay shaded.

Prevention is the best protection against harmful sun exposure. Take the following simple steps to protect you and your child from the sun:

Cover Up Wear clothing that covers your child’s skin; be sure to double-up protection when clothing leaves skin exposed.

Wear a Hat Hats that shade the face, scalp, ears and neck give great protection. Baseball caps are popular, but do not shade ears or neck—use sunscreen when wearing these caps.

Wear Sunglasses Harmful UV rays can lead to cataracts later in life. Look for wrap-around sunglasses that block 100% UVA and UVB rays.

Apply Sunscreen Use sunscreen with at least SPF 15 and UVA and UVB protection every time you go outside. For best protection, apply 30 mins before going outside; reapply every 2 hrs—more often if in and out of water. Don’t forget ears, lips, and tops of the feet.

Sunburn

Source material:

http://kidshealth.org

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/children.htm

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Sun Safety Facts