Thurgood Marshall graduation 2012
Badin vs. Versailles
Law Enforcement Memorial Day
Home > Blogs > Lakota Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > June > 11 > Entry
No summer baking for me
I am as pale as can be! I am telling you, if I baked in the sun, I would be one mass of freckles. I avoid it at all costs, but I do remember many a time in my childhood where I burned and burned from my time at the pool or the beach.
My “little” from Big Brothers/Big Sisters showed me her sun burn last week, and I told her she must be careful or later in life she could get skin cancer. The poor girl may just be scarred for life. Bad Lindsey! “What is skin cancer?” she asked with a panicked look in her eyes. “How much sun will it take for me to get it?” I was stunned she didn’t know about sun damage, so I wanted to share some information with you all to make sure your kids and their friends are aware of the dangers. I am not sure if this information will make your kids as paranoid as I am, but I trust you to present the information in such a way that they aren’t having nightmares about skin cancer!
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends training children in sun safety. Sports and other outdoor activities are daily events for children in the summer. If children are not properly protected, the time they spend outdoors can lead to painful sunburns, premature aging and skin cancer. Just one blistering sunburn in childhood can double the risk of developing melanoma later in life.
UV protection should be a regular part of the lessons learned at home and at school. Kids should be well versed about the dangers of the sun and how to protect against it.
Instruct children how to apply sunscreen before going outside. SPF 15+ sunscreen (water-resistant formulas are especially good) needs to be used regularly. Teach children to apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to all exposed areas, 30 minutes before outdoor activities, and reapply every two hours and right after swimming or heavy sweating. Remember to tell kids not to forget those hard to miss spots, such as the back of ears and neck as well as the tops of feet and hands.
Cover up with sun-protective clothing. Ideal sun-safe clothing includes long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a wide-brimmed hat.
- Wear T-shirts with a dense weave in dark or bright colors.
- Wear at least a baseball cap.
- Wear UV-blocking sunglasses.
- Wear long shorts.
- Apply an SPF 15+ sunscreen to all exposed areas.
Encourage children to seek the shade when outdoors. Ideally, most activities should be scheduled for early morning or late afternoon since UV is most intense from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
With proper guidance, children can learn to protect themselves and enjoy summer fun without sacrificing the health of their skin. For additional information, visit www.skincancer.org.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Hot topics
Comments