Is it hot enough for you and your kids? I bet every day you look at the weather map and try to figure out the best ways to beat the heat.
With kids taking the plunge to stay cool, many forget to re-apply sunscreen and end up with a bad sunburn. Sunburn is no fun and can cause significant problems.
Sunburns may cause first-degree burns and you know it when you see it...your child's skin turns pink and red and is uncomfortable, and itchy.
Sunburn may also cause second-degree burns where the burn actually penetrates the dermis and causes blistering and a deeper burn and more cell damage. With blistering may come scarring and also an increased risk of skin cancer and skin damage later in their lifetime.
Repetitive sunburns are cumulative and can put your child at even more risk for melanoma. Recurrent sunburns are often seen on the nose, ears, chest, and shoulders.
You may not notice symptoms until 2-4 hours after the damage has begun. You'll see redness over the next 12 -24 hours with pain, swelling and blistering. Some children will even develop nausea, fever, vomiting or dizziness after a significant sunburn and are at risk for dehydration.
The best way to treat sunburn begins by moisturizing the burned area to cool down the skin and reduce inflammation. Try a cool bath or apply cool, wet cloths. I like a product called Domeboro. It's very soothing when added to a bath or to cloths that you can soak in the solution.
Keep your kids hydrated to replace fluids. You can also give your child a pain reliever like Tylenol or Motrin/Advil to help with discomfort. Some children also respond to an oral antihistamine to help with itching.
Do NOT let your child back in the sun until their symptoms are improved and even then they should wear sun protective clothing as well as sunscreen. Remember, you can even get a burn in the shade, under an umbrella or on a cloudy day. Most of us heard that from our own mother's but unfortunately did not believe it until we ourselves had experienced a sunburn.
I'm Dr. Sue with The Kid's Doctor helping parents take charge.
