Preventing Sun Damage to Infants’ Skin – Guidance from Colleague and Advocate Sophie J Balk MD
We’ve been super busy here at IMPACT Melanoma. High up on our list is the addition of an old program we shelved quite some time ago. As of May 2021, we are pleased to announce that we’ll be bringing back a program that we supported about a decade ago called No Sun For Babies. We’re working with several HealthCare Delivery Systems that have very few ways of reaching out to their communities during this COVID time and think this is an initiative that they can support since we are reaching out to new moms in the hospital. IMPACT’s goal is to give parents a piece of sun protective clothing for their newborn and to provide sun safety tips for the newborn-6 month old. We are partnered with sun protective brands such as Mott50 to support this initiative. We’ll be adding a “clothing tag” to the garments with a sun prevention message and drive new parents right here for more information, when they are able (we get it, things get hectic and it’s hard to find “the time” when you’re caring for a newborn…).
In support, our good friend and colleague, Sophie J Balk MD (a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore and a Professor of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine) has provided us with some words extracted largely from AAP policy regarding protecting infants from the sun and the main issues that parents need to know to help set the course to a lifetime of preventative skincare.
To start, let’s pose a frequently asked question:
Q: I’m concerned that using sunscreen on my child when she goes outside will lead to a low vitamin D level. Is this true?
A: Infants, children, teens, and adults need vitamin D for bone health. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and may have other actions. Vitamin D is generated by the body when skin is exposed to direct sunlight but exposing skin to the sun’s ultraviolet rays raises a person’s risk of developing skin cancer. Fortunately, people can get vitamin D from foods including dairy products, salmon and sardines, and from vitamin supplements. To lessen skin cancer risk, it is important to protect infants and children from sun exposure by using clothing, hats, and sunscreen. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all breastfed infants (and infants who take in less than 1000 mL of infant formula per day) be protected from rickets (a bone disease that results from very low levels of vitamin D) by receiving a daily supplement of 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D. Children older than age 1 and teenagers should receive 600 IU a day. We don’t recommend any deliberate sun exposure or using tanning salons as a way to increase vitamin D levels–these exposures raise the risk of skin cancer.
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It’s important to have children be outdoors, especially when the weather is nice. We do, however, need to pay special attention to protecting babies and young children from the harmful effects of the sun’s ultraviolet light (UV) rays when they are outside. A baby’s skin is more delicate and thinner than the skin of older children and adults, so babies can sunburn more easily. Even dark-skinned babies may sunburn. Babies and young children must rely on adults to remove them from situations that could lead to sunburn and even heatstroke. Babies and young children also need a parent or other adult to keep them away from the sun’s direct rays, to make sure they are dressed properly and to apply sunscreen.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that younger babies – under the age of 6 months – be kept away from direct sunlight because they could develop heatstroke from too much sun and heat. It is especially important to avoid having your baby in the sun 10 AM to 2 PM, the times when the sun’s rays are strongest. You can move babies under a tree, umbrella, or stroller canopy. Keep in mind, though, that these surfaces may reflect the sun’s rays: an umbrella or canopy may reduce UV light exposure by only 50%.
It’s also important to use clothing to protect a baby’s skin. Babies going into the water at the pool or beach can be dressed in swimwear with a high sun-protection rating. Babies going outside can wear other clothing that protects their skin from the sun’s rays. Lightweight long-sleeved cotton shirts and pants can be cool and comfortable. Babies also should wear hats with a large brim to protect their chin, cheeks and back of the neck.
Sunscreen is also part of a sun-protection program. Apply sunscreen to parts of your baby’s skin that may be exposed to the sun, even on cloudy days, because the sun’s rays can penetrate through clouds. Sunscreen may be applied to babies under younger than six months to small areas of skin that are not covered by clothing and hats. A sunscreen containing the mineral ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide is preferred.
Thanks so much for your work, Sophie! We appreciate you so much!
Please visit our program page www.impactmelanoma.org/no-sun-for-babies for more information on our latest initiative and get involved with this vital program. Together we can make great IMPACT today and instill good practice for a lifetime.
