Properly protecting your child from the sun

Properly protecting your child from the sun

Choosing the right outing:

Staying indoors throughout the summer is out of the question, however, certain precautions should be taken in order to make the most of the fine weather. Given that exposing children under the age of 3 years old to the sun is not recommended, you should plan your walk so that the route has plenty of shaded areas.

You should also take into account the orientation of the sun according to the time of day: in order to make the most of every location, simply avoid the times when the sun is at its height, i.e. between 12 noon and 4 pm. Make the most of these moments to eat or enjoy a nap in the shade, naturally!

Remember to cover baby!

The best available sun protection is clothing: Long-sleeved garments, trousers and wide-brimmed hats are preferable. Currently, thanks to technical and breathable fabrics, babies are well protected and are in no danger of catching cold if the wind starts to blow.

However, please note: if the clothing is not anti-UV certified, sun cream should also be applied underneath clothing and light-coloured clothing should be avoided as it lets more UV rays through than dark-coloured clothing.

The UPF 40+/50+ certification is approved by the European Union. A UPF 40+ index means that 97.5% of rays are blocked, 50+ means that more than 98% of the rays are blocked.

If you choose to wear open shoes, remember to protect the uncovered parts of the foot with cream or socks! Finally, given that children's eyes are particularly sensitive, it is essential to protect them with sunglasses with a grade of no less than 3. The sunglasses should be worn even when the sun is hidden by clouds.

Never without sun cream!

When it comes to the unprotected parts of the body, do not hesitate to apply thick layers of sun cream and remember to repeat the process every 2 hours. Check that the packaging specifies that the product is for "babies" with double UVA/UVB protection and a factor of 50+.

It is preferable to use mineral sun creams that, despite the inconvenience of the white marks, minimise the risk of allergies (compared with chemical filters) and help you to visualise any areas which have been forgotten!

Protect your eyes:

Children's eyes, like their skin, are not yet fully mature and are particularly sensitive to the sun's rays. Children must wear sunglasses with a protection index of at least 3 and an EC standard certification. The latter must also be adapted to the shape of the face and not leave any areas uncovered. The retention system (elastics, headbands) can be useful in preventing sunglasses from falling off or being badly positioned. The earlier your child gets used to wearing sunglasses, the more easily they will tolerate them!

A properly protected baby will still be exposed to heat. That's why it is important to keep babies well hydrated. Rather than waiting for baby to demand water, he or she must regularly be given water to which rehydration solutions (available from chemists) can be added. For babies who are still being breastfed, take regular breaks in a shaded area.



You are now ready to make the most of the summer in the knowledge that your children are not in any discomfort!