The benefits and harms of a newborn's exposure to the sun. Baby and the sun: safe tanning

Summer, beach, warm sunshine and gentle sea. Few can deny themselves these pleasures, therefore, with the onset of heat, people tend to the sea. In summer, on the beach you can see not only adults and the elderly, but even infants. Them very useful sunbathing, because it is the sun's rays that contribute to the production of vitamin D, which is necessary for bone strength.

Of course, the sun has a beneficial effect on children's body, however can the baby be under direct rays? Is it dangerous for his delicate skin?

Can children sunbathe ?

What is sunburn? This is the reaction of the skin to the action of sunlight. Thus, the skin prevents the appearance of burns, creating a protective shell between the sun's rays and the body.

The skin of children is much thinner and more sensitive than the skin of an adult. In it, melanin, which contributes to the protection of the skin, is still poorly produced. So direct sunlight for such children is very dangerous.! Doctors advise against bringing children under the age of three under the scorching sun. If the recommendations of doctors are not alarming. It is necessary to ensure that the baby is safely exposed to the sun. The body should be covered with a light T-shirt or cloth, the head with a panama or scarf. It is advisable to treat the rest of the body with a special sunscreen.

Be aware that what younger kid the faster it overheats in the sun.

If there are many moles or allergies on the skin, you should not expose such skin to the sun at all. The same rule applies to children whose shoulders and face are covered age spots . They resemble freckles, only they are larger and darker. This is nothing but the result of previous sunburns. In these parts of the body, the skin structure is already different, so it cannot be exposed to the sun.

When traveling with children, follow the basic rules of tanning:

Shady or shaded areas. No direct sunlight.
Stay under the sun is possible until 10 am and after 18 pm. And then - no more than half an hour. The rest of the time you need to be in the shade.
Use skin protection products. A special sunscreen with a high level of protection will help to avoid sunburn. Please note: the lighter the skin, the higher the level of protection should be on the cream. Apply cream after every bath.
Headgear is required. Do not let the baby out even in the water without panama or cap.

Take to the beach more water, juices, fruit drinks. Your baby will want to drink often, so be sure to offer him liquids. You can take fruit to the beach to refresh yourself. Anyway, your task is to provide the crumbs with a comfortable rest X. This is the only way you will be able to enjoy your time.

The sun's rays are important for babies, because due to ultraviolet radiation, the body produces useful and the right vitamin D. In the first year of a child's life, a severe deficiency of this vitamin is noticed. Its deficiency leads to the development of childhood rickets, improper material metabolism, impaired bone skeleton and musculoskeletal function, and weakened immunity.

To avoid such problems and receive vitamin D in full, it is important for a nursing mother and child to eat right. In addition, regular walks in the sun will help. But this does not mean that the baby should be exposed to direct sunlight. This does not mean that newborns and young children are allowed to sunbathe freely. Let's look at what age a child can sunbathe. Learn how to sunbathe on the sea and in the sun.

When can you sunbathe

It has been proven that children receive three times more UV than adults. In addition, the skin of a newborn and infants up to two years of age practically does not produce melatonin. This substance protects the skin from negative impact ultraviolet. Therefore, up to 2 years, babies should not sunbathe for more than ten minutes a day and sunbathe in direct sunlight.

After two years, the baby can be safely on open sun. But at the same time, it is important to follow the recommendations and rules for staying on the beach. Strictly control the time spent in the sun! after sunburn and sunbathing the skin is also recommended to be treated with a soothing protective cosmetic. And now let's take a closer look at how to properly sunbathe a child.

Rules for tanning for a child

Choose a baby headdress with a visor or wide brim. Then immediately protect your head, eyes, and face from the sun;
Dress for baby lung and breathable clothing in exclusively light and white colors, made of hypoallergenic fabrics;
For children over three years old, you can already choose children's sunglasses. For the first ten years, it is important to protect the eyes of children most carefully. Indeed, at this age, the pupils pass up to 95% of ultraviolet radiation! By the way, glasses will protect not only from the sun, but also from wind, dust and dirt;
If the baby has bright skin or on the body is observed a large number of freckles or moles, be sure to consult a pediatrician before going to the beach. Such babies are not recommended to spend a lot of time in the sun;
The baby needs to be prepared for sunbathing, so the first sunbathing should not last longer than ten minutes. Gradually increase the time, but the duration of stay in each case should not exceed two hours a day;
Do not go sunbathing on the beach between 11 am and 4-5 pm. During the day, the sun is very active, which will lead to combustion and even burns. Safe and suitable for sunbathing - the morning period between 8 and 11 hours;
Do not allow your child to stay in the water for a long time. He can get cold, get severe burns or burn. After all, the sun's rays are reflected from the surface of the water, as a result of which the harm of ultraviolet radiation increases;
Dry your baby thoroughly with a towel after bathing. When moisture dries, the child will tan faster and may burn;
Take to the beach drinking water and keep a close eye on the child during the holidays! Avoid sugary and carbonated drinks. They only increase the thirst. Try to keep the baby more time in the shade;
If the baby is burned or has received sunburn, the affected areas are wiped with cool water and smeared with any ointment for burns or cream containing sea buckthorn oil. You can also use sour cream or kefir. When burned, the baby should not appear in the sun for at least three days. At severe burns And elevated temperature see a doctor!;
Be sure to use baby products before and after sunbathing, even if the baby is under an umbrella or in the shade. It should be safe certified products with a natural hypoallergenic composition.

How to choose children's sunscreen

It is important to choose hypoallergenic baby cosmetics with a softening effect. These products must include natural herbal ingredients. Panthenol, vitamin E, calendula and chamomile have a beneficial effect on the skin of a child. Cosmetics should be designed specifically for children. Choose a product according to the age of the child. Be sure to check the composition, date of manufacture and the integrity of the packaging before buying. Poor quality products will not provide adequate protection. In addition, they can harm the health and well-being of the crumbs, cause allergies and other negative reactions!

For walks in the sun, choose products with SPF 15-20, when tanning on the beach - with a coefficient of more than 25. But you can not use creams with indicators of more than 50. They are extremely harmful to the baby's delicate skin. For the beach, take indelible and waterproof formulations. If they do wash off, reapply the cream after each bath and contact with water. You also need to update the composition again if the child is sweating.

Before anointing a child, read the instructions. The action of many funds begins in 10-30 minutes, so the composition must be applied in advance. See how long protection will last and determine if reapplication is required. Treat the face and neck, shoulders and ears most carefully. Spread the product evenly over the remaining areas so that the body does not get too tanned or burnt.

Is it possible to go with a baby to the sea

Parents are also concerned about the question of whether it is possible for a newborn and small children to go to the sea and sunbathe there. Pediatricians also do not recommend going to rest to the sea with children until 2-3 years old, if this is not the usual climate for the child.

Young children are subject to long acclimatization, which lasts up to five days. That's why abrupt change climate and time zone can negatively affect the well-being and health of the crumbs. In addition, the child can get badly burned and damage the skin. This is especially true for children living in the northern regions of Russia, where most of the year it is cold and cloudy.

If the baby is well tolerated by ultraviolet radiation and does not burn in the sun, you can go to the sea with baby but only for a long time. It should be at least three weeks in order to get the maximum benefit, acclimatize and feel comfortable.

With a toddler over three years old, a visit to the sea is recommended to get health effect and strengthen immunity. In addition, it will help get rid of chronic diseases. Rest can be two to four weeks. The Russian southern coast and Crimea will become comfortable and safe for children. Trips to Egypt, Turkey or Tunisia are best planned for early autumn.

When traveling to foreign countries Be careful with exotic food! It is better to refuse to use such products, as they can cause severe poisoning and allergies, disrupt the baby's stool. How to competently and safely organize the first trip with a child, see. And then we will find out whether it is possible for babies to sunbathe during chickenpox.

Sunburn during and after chickenpox

According to British meteorologists, tanned children's skin does not indicate good health child. Scientists believe sunburn is damage skin, not a symbol of health. But parents are still careless about this problem and are quite illiterate about the effects of sunlight on the skin. This is confirmed by a survey published on the website of the British Meteorological Service.

By the way, this survey was conducted in collaboration with the UK National Health Service. The results are depressing: parents are dangerously nonchalant about the tan on their children's skin. Of the 1,000 parents surveyed with children under the age of 11, every 14th admitted that his children had never used sun protection. Only 47% of parents were aware that ultraviolet rays are dangerous for the skin, and 37% were generally convinced that a tan indicates a child's health. And 10% of parents of children aged 2-7, as it turned out, even insist that their children sunbathe. Another 10% force them to undress to the waist so that there are no traces of clothes on the skin.

The results of the survey showed a flagrant illiteracy of the respondents in matters of the effects of sunlight on the skin. Only 7% of them knew that UV exposure is closely related to skin cancer, 46% believed that UV rays are only harmful when exposed directly, 15% believed that on cloudy and cool days ultraviolet radiation the sun is not dangerous.

So what do scientists recommend? According to the researchers, from March to October, children should be dressed in weather-appropriate clothing. And you should not be in the sun from 11 to 15 hours. In addition, creams and ointments with an SPF of at least 15 should be used. It is clear that these studies were conducted on “ foggy Albion”, where there are more rains than sunny days, but you should also heed these recommendations.

Everyone needs the gentle rays of the sun: from plants to animals and people. Thanks to heavenly body, creates and maintains normal humidity for life and optimal temperature conditions, which is confirmed beautiful photos planets. The sun is also involved in the occurrence of important reactions in the body. baby. But along with a number of advantages of sunlight, there is a danger posed by its rays.

The benefits of the sun for babies

The sun contributes to the production of vitamin D, which helps to absorb calcium as much as possible. Essential Mineral is the basis of bones and teeth, and air baths in the sun are a proven way to prevent rickets. Photos of babies affected by the disease are a good incentive for daily walks. Sunlight also regulates newborn brain activity.

The energy of light increases the vital activity of the baby and normalizes the processes nervous system. With the help of a sunbath you can get rid of:

frequent colds, thanks to the strengthening of immunity
allergic skin diseases
digestive problems
overexcitability and sleep disturbances in a child
neonatal jaundice

All of the listed properties of the sun are useful for babies with moderate amounts of light. The newborn may not lie under direct rays, but in the shade so that there is no negative reaction to air procedures.

Sun damage

The measure must also be observed during the time the baby is in the sun. Mom's zeal is fraught with:

overheating
burns
risk of skin cancer

If the baby is tanned, this is how the body's protective reaction to the sun's rays manifested itself. In the photo, the baby will look beautiful, but the more intense the tan, the more problems may arise in the future.

It is better to protect the baby's eyes with a panama hat with wide brim. Neglect of this rule can lead to retinal burns. Especially dangerous for a long time located near the water, as the sun's rays, reflected from its surface, become several times more aggressive.

How to sunbathe your baby

Teaching takes place gradually, starting with a couple of minutes of being in the sun. Every day the session can be increased by 2 minutes.

The first sunbath is spent at open window at home. It is important that the air temperature is warm and there are no drafts.

IN summer time the duration of the session on the street should not exceed 45 minutes per day.

So that the baby does not burn out, in the heat he will need protection in the form of a canopy or special cream for leather treatment.

To ensure free access of air, the baby can be left on the bedspread on the ground, but be sure to be nearby. If the baby is burned or sunstroke, you need to urgently show it to the pediatrician.

On the sea

Everyone knows about the benefits of sea air, sea and sun, but not every mother knows that a baby cannot be taken out to an open beach. Children under one year old do not have individual protection from ultraviolet radiation, and the body does not yet produce a pigment that forms a tan. Therefore, if there is no desire for the baby to be burned, it is better not to make such experiments before the age of 3 years. Apply to baby's body protective cream even when it's in the shade.

It is impossible to be close to the water with the child, since the rays reflected from the sea will provoke a sunburn. And so that the baby does not overheat, it is advisable to be in a shaded place. You can take sunbaths until 11 am and after 5 pm, when the light is not so aggressive.

Head protection in the form of a panama or cap is mandatory, and a cream with a high SPF level should be applied to the child's skin if he likes to be in open space. It is advisable to consult a pediatrician so that the baby does not have an allergy to the sunscreen. Even under an umbrella in the shade, the baby can receive solar radiation reflected from the sand and water. Light cotton clothes with a long sleeve are put on the crumbs so that it does not overheat and does not burn out - especially in the area of the shoulders and back.

First aid

The cause of overheating is the fact that too small child sweating system is not established. The body does not cool down, so babies are prone to heatstroke and dehydration. If the air baths were carried out for a long time, and the baby overheated, you should urgently go into the shade or complete the walk and return home.

At home, the child is wiped with a damp cotton diaper, they give plenty of drink, you can bathe in the bathroom. When chills appear and high temperature it is necessary to give an antipyretic and observe the condition of the baby . If there is the slightest concern regarding the health of the baby, you need to show the child to the doctor.

Redness on the body of the crumbs indicates a sunburn or prickly heat. They are outwardly different. In addition, prickly heat is accompanied by burning and itching. To reduce the manifestations of discomfort during prickly heat, you will have to do baths with soothing herbs. After bathing the baby, do not wipe, but let the moisture soak in. While maintaining normal temperature regime sweating disappears.

If there is a sunburn, redness of the skin is complemented by dryness, the child becomes restless or lethargic. At burn shock observed:

shortness of breath
loss of consciousness
pallor
sticky skin surface

In case of a burn, be sure to moisten the skin with cool water, apply after-sun cream or treat the affected area special aerosol. Loose-fitting cotton clothing can help minimize irritation. soft material. It is better to do all this in a shaded cool room, and then show the baby to the doctor.

Photodermatosis - allergic to the sun

Allergy to the sun in children occurs with prolonged exposure to its rays and is due to the lack of necessary pigments in the body. How less age crumbs, the worse it has developed protection that prevents the accumulation of radiation in the chromophores. Therefore, when deciding how much the baby should be in the sun, one should be guided by common sense. Mothers often confuse photodermatosis with normal allergic reaction, so it is important to pay attention to the location of redness:

the face is affected (forehead, ears, chin)
less frequent spots on the body
almost no damage to the legs and arms

Allergies can be hereditary and are also caused by external factors including regular sunscreen. In order not to put dubious experiments on the baby, it is necessary to choose a cream without para-aminobenzoic acid in the composition. Allergy is caused by:

antibiotics
anti-inflammatory drugs
antihistamines
cytostatics

Therefore, after taking the listed drugs, you should not rush and do a disservice to the baby in the form of strengthening immunity with the help of the sun.

The concentration of the above substances in the body of a child, together with sun exposure, causes an allergy to the sun or photodermatosis.

Allergy is provoked cosmetics, If baby cream contains a number essential oils with phototoxic action. And no matter how much the baby stays in the sun, you might think that he burned out, but this is how a strong reaction to the rays manifests itself. Cannot be applied to breast lips hygienic lipstick with eosin is good protection for an adult, but the crumbs will have a solar allergy.

You should not carefully treat the baby's skin with antiseptic agents - he definitely will not catch any infection, but the sun will do its job. An hour later, the allergy will turn violent on the delicate skin of the crumbs and cause irritation. Medical treatment and preventive measures are prescribed by a doctor.

Ultraviolet rays are moderately useful for human body Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, vitamin D is produced in the skin, which is involved in the process of calcium absorption. The sensitivity to ultraviolet light is higher than younger child. It is impossible to spend direct sunlight with a child under one year old. With babies, you need to be in the lacy shade of trees, they are shown direct sunlight only in the autumn-winter period, as a prevention of rickets. The air temperature during summer tanning should be no more than +30 degrees, it is best to sunbathe on the beach near the river or the sea. The time of sunbathing for children is no more than 20 minutes, the number of such procedures per year should not exceed 20-30.

Now there is a lot of talk about the dangers of direct ultraviolet rays on the human body, as they can cause cancer diseases skin . Therefore, listen to advice and do not appear with your child on the street and open spaces, including on the beach from 11 am to 4 pm. Most useful time for exposure to the sun, these are the morning hours from 8 to 10 am and the evening after 17-00.

Now let's talk about the rules for hardening a child with the sun:

1. Protect your baby's head from sunstroke with a hat from light natural light material.

2. On the baby while sunbathing, there must be a light blouse or a shirt the best option- cambric vest.

3. Children older than a year take out in the sun first in a shirt, then in a T-shirt, after a few days you can remove the T-shirt and combine hardening with the sun. The air temperature should be above 20-22 degrees, and the weather should be calm.

4. Water procedures apply after sunbathing, and not vice versa, so as not to cause hypothermia of the child. After bathing, dry it well.

5. The duration of the first solar procedure for babies is 3 minutes, in children after a year - 5 minutes. Increase your child's exposure to the sun daily to 30-40 minutes a day.

6. Solar procedures are contraindicated above 30 degrees and children with cancer.

7. In scattered sunshine (in the lace shade) there is almost the same amount of ultraviolet radiation as in direct rays, but there is much less infrared radiation, which leads to overheating of the body in summer.

8. If the child has sunstroke or overheating, immediately bring him to a cool room, give him water to drink, you can bathe him in the bathroom. For fever and chills, give an antipyretic.

9. To prevent overheating and dehydration during solar treatments, increase drinking regimen, do not forget a bottle of clean high-quality water for a walk.

10. It is best if the child is in motion during solar procedures.. Sleeping in the sun is useful only in winter.