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Sunburn - Prevention and Treatment

Sunburn can double your risk of skin cancer. Sunburn is painful. Children with fair skin and/or freckles are most at risk. For all these reasons it is our duty to ensure our children are not sunburned.

A fair skinned child may burn in the sun in as little as 15 minutes.

To avoid sunburn follow these tips -

• Apply a high factor (SPF 30+) suncream liberally to your children BEFORE they are exposed to the sun.
• Keep your children covered up with a t-shirt
• Always make your children wear a sun-hat and sunglasses
• Use UV protection swimwear as an extra layer of protection when at the beach/in the garden
• Avoid exposure to the sun at it's peak i.e. between 11am and 3pm.
• Re-apply suncream regularly and immediately after your children have been in the water

Sunburn is not always immediately obvious, sometimes the effects will not be seen immediately and the pain may not peak until 24 - 48 hours after the exposure to the sun. Severe sunburn can cause blistering of the skin and a fever, the skin will then start to peel a few days after exposure.

If your child is sunburned here are some ways of relieving their pain and treating their skin -

• Bathe or sponge the burnt skin in cool water
• Do not scrub the skin as this will make it more painful
• Regularly moisturise the skin with an aloe vera treatment (these can be bought at your chemist/Super-market)
• Use paracetamol to relieve the pain
• Stay out of the sun
• Drink plenty of water

If you child has sunburn and you are concerned you should contact your GP without hesitation.

NOTE: The health section of Parenting.co.uk is not to be used as a substitute for your GP; if your child is ill then seek the advice of a qualified doctor or other health professional without delay.

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