At the beginning of the year, most schools take full advantage of the summer and encourage extramural activities like swimming and athletics. As these sporting activities often take place outdoors, it’s vital to ask yourself whether you’re doing enough to protect your little ones from the searing summer sun.
You can protect your child from the sun while they’re at school
Before leaving the house in the morning, ensure that you apply sunscreen, with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of between 20 and 50, on your child’s face, neck and back. The sun lotion should contain the CANSA Seal of Recognition. Put a bottle of sunscreen in your child’s school bag and encourage them to apply the sunscreen every two hours while outside.
Look out for the manufacture or expiry date on the sunscreen package. Sunscreen usually expires two years after the date of manufacture. Once opened, sunscreen should not be used for longer than one year.
While many schools have hats as a part of their uniform, some don’t. If your children’s school doesn’t have a hat, then it’s important to buy them wide-brimmed hats to protect their skin from the sun.
Monitor your child’s skin for spots
Check your child’s skin for spots that look different to others on their body. Pay attention to spots that change shape, itch or bleed – these must be examined by a dermatologist. Detected early, skin cancer (including melanoma) is treatable.
The ABCDEs of skin checks:
- A for Asymmetry – One half of a spot is unlike the other half.
- B for Border – The spot has an irregular, scalloped or poorly defined edge.
- C for Colour – Colours vary from one area of the spot to another, from shades of tan, brown or black, for instance, or areas of white, red or blue.
- D for Diameter – When diagnosed, melanomas are usually larger than 6mm (about the size of a pencil eraser), but can be smaller.
- E for Evolving – The spot looks different or is changing in size, shape or colour.
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