Despite numerous federal warnings about sun exposure for children, new research shows that parents become less vigilant about protecting their children after their first year of age, which dermatologists warn can have deleterious effects in adulthood."The experiences and findings from this study bring to light a critical period when comprehensive sun protection starts to wane and skin damage in very young children begins to increase," reported researchers from Boston University in the August issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Their findings are based on reports from 92 mothers, half of whom received sun protection information for their newborns in the form of telephone calls and newsletters. The other half received nothing beyond that provided by the maternity nurse. There were few differences between the 2 groups in the use of sun protection from the first to the second summer. The average age of the children in their first summer was 6 months and 18 months in their second summer.
After the first summer, the children’s use of hats, shirts and shade dropped in both groups. However, their use of sunscreen rose 62% in the group whose mothers received sun protection information, but sunburning increased from 7% to 14%. In the second group sunscreen use rose 56% and sunburn incidence went from 7% to 28%. Mothers in both groups also reported more suntans in their children.
The researchers’ definition of skin damage combines tanning and burning, therefore they reported that the rates of skin damage from the first to the second summers increased substantially. And although the children’s skin damage increased, the number the hours of sun exposure reported by their mothers did not.
"It appears that lack of full protection in the child’s second summer rather than increased sun exposure, resulted in more sunburning and tanning," reported the researchers.
They defined full protection as the use of hats, long-sleeved shirts, and the use of shade. The researchers acknowledged increased difficulty in keeping hats and other protective clothing on children the older they get. And the researchers suspected the increased use of sunscreen was due to the parents’ tapering concerns about its safety as their children aged beyond 6 months – the age at which pediatricians say sunscreen is safe to use on children.
Because children tend to spend more time outdoors, and because research has shown that two or more blistering sunburns as a child or teen increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life, doctors are increasing the emphasis of sun protection early on.
The American Academy of Pediatrics warns parents that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and most are caused by sun exposure. Malignant melanoma, one form of skin cancer, can be deadly if left untreated. The Academy also tells parents that sunburns can cause dehydration and fever in the short term, and wrinkles and cataracts later in life.
A few tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics for protecting children from sun exposure:
1. Babies younger than 6 months of age should be kept out of direct sunlight because their skin is thinner and more sensitive than adults, which causes them to burn more easily.
2. Dress babies in protective, light-weight clothing that covers the entire body
3. If your baby does get sunburn, and they are under one year of age, see a pediatrician immediately.
4. Choose sunscreens made for children in babies older than 6 months. In babies younger than 6 months the risks and benefits of sunscreen are not yet known.
5. Parents should follow the same tips for children older than 1 year.
It’s also important to remember that the suns rays are most powerful from 10am to 4pm, and that UV rays can bounce back from sand, snow, or concrete. When choosing a sunscreen look for the words "broad-spectrum" on the label, which it means it blocks both ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. Waterproof sunscreens of 15 SPF or higher are best, and should be reapplied 30 minutes before sun exposure and every two hours after that.
"Sun protection habits must be taught as part of routine preventative health care and in school settings," the researchers reported, "but bolstered again in preadolescent and adolescent years, when such habits are known to deteriorate."
The also concluded that intervention programs for parents of new babies added some modest benefits for protecting babies from sun exposure, but the sample size of 92 families was too small to substantiate their results, and larger studies would be needed to determine if these types of programs would be truly effective.
