Safe in the sun

• Many surfaces will reflect UV radiation – sand can reflect up to 25% and water can reflect up to 10% depending on the time of day. If you're on the top of a mountain or down at sea level the effects of UV are intensified.
• Beware of staying in the water too long on hot summer days. You feel cooler, the water amplifies the sun’s rays and washes your cream off (whatever it says on the packet) – a dangerous triple whammy.
• Up to 80% of UV rays can penetrate cloud covering. Infrared rays, which give the feeling of warmth, are filtered more efficiently by clouds, so there’s a tendency to stay outdoors longer on cloudy days increasing the risk of burning.
• Limit the time children spend in the sun between the hours of 11 am and 3 pm and be really careful with toddlers. Their skin is so sensitive they can burn, even in the shade.
• When your children are in the sun, cover as much of their skin as possible. Consider investing in special sun protective clothing which stops UV rays from reaching the skin. Buy hats and sunglasses (look for European Standard BS:EN:1836:1997) and encourage your children to wear them.
• Use a special protective tent or umbrella on the beach so that kids have somewhere to sit out of the sun. These can be purchased in many department stores and children’s shops or check out the following website
  www.jacksons-camping.co.uk/kidstuff/kidstents.htm for more information.

Instead of scaring your kids with facts and figures about skin cancer, lead by example. Cover up and keep slopping the cream on. Then they’ll follow suit.