Yeditepe University Kosuyolu Hospital Pediatrics Specialist Dr. Tülin Şimşek explained what needs to be done to protect children from the sun.
Child Health and Diseases specialist Dr. Şimşek gave the following information on the subject:
“Children should be taken out of the sun until 11 or after 15 in order to protect themselves from the sun. Children should not be outside between 11 and 15 hours when the sun's rays are steep. Even at the recommended hours, it should not be kept in the shade for longer than 45 minutes, as the sun rays reflected from the sand can be harmful for the baby, and sunscreen should be applied.
Before sunbathing in light-skinned children and babies under the age of one, sunscreen with a factor of 50 should be used, and for children over 2 years old and with dark-brown eyes, an optional sunscreen with a factor of at least 30 should be used. It should be noted that the sunscreen is a product with a mineral filter, protection against ultraviolet A and B, of good quality, with a long expiry date. Sunscreen should be applied half an hour before going out in the sun, and should be repeated after the child goes out of the pool.
Şimşek, who argued that it would be beneficial for children to sunbathe with bare skin for 10 minutes, preferably before 5 a.m., to help the synthesis of vitamin D by sunlight, said, “Then, half an hour before going out into the sun, sunscreen should be applied indoors and waited for 30 minutes to absorb from the skin. However, it is recommended that babies under the age of one, especially up to six months, should be exposed to the sun with a half-sleeved clothing that also covers the shoulders, even if sunscreen is applied. After applying the cream, babies up to one year old should be protected with a wide awning hat that covers the neck and shoulders at the pool or seaside, and their shoulders and back with clothes made of half-sleeved cotton. If the family can find it, they can also use swimsuits and bikinis made of specially produced ultraviolet A and B protective fabric instead of normal clothing. For babies, special ready-made diapers can be preferred instead of swimwear.
Considering that they will be exposed to sunlight for a long time while taking children outside in sunny weather, they should use sunglasses to avoid cataracts. The glasses to be purchased must be made of quality materials and be protective against ultraviolet A and B. Or the child should be prevented from looking at the sun with the naked eye by wearing a long awning hat.” he said.
Underlining that hydration, that is, liquid supplementation, gains more importance in the summer months, Uzm. Dr. Tülin Şimşek stated the following about the amount of liquid that children should consume according to their age:
“Considering that fluid loss due to heat is high in children's nutrition in summer, watery foods should be given weight. Since a nursing mother will also lose fluids due to heat, the mother should increase her fluid intake and consume at least one liter more fluid than before. This liquid can be in the form of buttermilk, compote, freshly squeezed fruit juices. After switching to complementary foods in the first 6 months, 30 ml of boiled water can be given after each feeding. By monitoring the amount of urine in the diaper, it may be necessary for the mother to drink plenty of water and to increase the fluid given from the outside. After the age of 3, children should not be expected to be thirsty, as they may forget to drink liquids after immersion in the game.
Children should stay in the sun for a maximum of 30-45 minutes and sunburns and strokes may occur in children who exceed this time. When sunburned, the body usually becomes flushed. If the burn is advanced, water bubbles, which we call bullae, develop. Due to this flushing, the child may have a fever and an increase in the need for water. Children with sunstroke may have excessive need for water, dry mouth, restlessness or sleepiness, a general rash on the body, high fever, and agitation. In such a case, the child should be immediately taken to a cool place and away from the sun. The body should be relieved with cool compresses and antipyretic should be given. If the situation is getting worse and he is unconscious, he should be taken to the nearest health institution. Because children who cannot take water and cannot drink water lose more fluid. For this reason, it may be necessary to take fluids by inserting serum in the health institution.”
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