Be Sun Smart
August 14, 2024
Bright Sunshine, Safe Kids: Suncreen & Sun Safety 101
Here at Centennial Pediatrics, we often receive many questions about protecting children from the sun, including how to apply sunscreen. Here are some general sun safety tips and answers to common questions about sunscreen.
- Keep babies under six months of age out of direct sunlight by finding shade under a tree, an umbrella, or a stroller canopy.
- Put a hat with an all-around 3-inch brim on your child to shield his/her face, ears, and back of the neck.
- Have your child wear youth-sized sunglasses with 99% UV protection to protect the eyes from the intense sun.
- Try to limit your sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV rays are the strongest.
- Dress your child in cool, comfortable clothing that covers as much skin as possible. For additional protection, you can buy UV-protected long-sleeved shirts or other clothing.
- For babies, we recommend mineral sunscreen that includes titanium dioxide or zinc oxide instead of chemical sunscreen for younger babies as it is less likely to irritate a baby’s sensitive skin. Mineral sunscreen can also be used for older children on sensitive areas of the body, such as the nose, cheeks, tops of the ears, and shoulders.
- You can apply a minimal amount of broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with at least 30 SPF to infants OVER six months of age. For the first application, apply a small amount on the inside of your baby’s wrist and watch for signs of irritation. Call us if your infant develops a rash or other concerning symptoms after the sunscreen is applied.
- Remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.
- Use plenty of sunscreen to cover ALL exposed areas. Apply it about 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors and rub it in well.
- Use sunscreen whenever you or your child spends time outdoors. You can get sunburned even on cloudy or cold days, as up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays can pass through the clouds.
If your baby is younger than one year old and gets sunburned, call us immediately or contact our triage service if we are closed. For older children, call us if there is extreme pain, fever, or blistering.
Remember, you are your child’s first and most important role model. By practicing sun safety for yourself, you’re protecting your health and teaching your child a valuable, life-long lesson. Contact us with any other questions about sunscreen application or sun safety. Have fun in the sun!
--Blog post written by Maggie Rietze, Centennial Pediatrics of Spokane Summer Intern Extraordinaire
As everyone has probably heard at this point, there are confirmed cases of measles in and around Spokane and all over the country. Our job as your family's pediatric provider is to provide accurate, scientific information about illnesses such as measles and ways in which you can keep your family and others protected. Measles is HIGHLY contagious . It will linger in a space for 2 hours after the infected person leaves. Often, we tell patients that you can do your best to avoid a sick-appearing person (maybe someone with a rash), but if you happen to step into a space in which a person with measles was within 2 hours of that person leaving, you are at-risk of contracting the virus. The MMR vaccines is highly effective. After the 1st dose, a person is 93% protected and with 2 doses on-board, the protection is 97%. We typically give the MMR at 1 year old and 4 years old; however, doses can be done as early as 6 months old* (especially if there is upcoming travel or concern for exposure during an outbreak). We can also give them closer together than 1 year and 4 years. We know there can be questions surrounding vaccines, especially the MMR. We are always happy to answer these questions, but in brief, there has been NO link between the MMR vaccine (or any vaccine for that matter) and autism. Someone who is immunocompromised is at great risk of serious complications of the measles virus, and since the MMR vaccine is a live-virus vaccine someone who has a suppressed immune system cannot get the vaccine themselves. 92-94% of the population needs to be immune to measles (by vaccination or history of infection) in order to limit/prevent spread of the illness. Some retro things are fun and cool... like My Little Pony, Lincoln Logs and Strawberry Shortcake, but one thing is for sure, and that is that measles is absolutely not. As a pediatric practice, we know how a successful vaccine can save the lives of so many, and we will continue to do our part to protect children. *A dose given at less than 1 year old does not qualify for the 2-dose series needed for school entry and confirmed immunity; however, it counts that you may protect your child against measles.
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Much like you get excited to announce your new baby's arrival, we have been keeping a little secret that we can't wait to share! We will soon be offering lactation services at our clinic with a certified IBCLC and RN -- Chelsea Wilhelm! She brings with her years of knowledge as a lactation specialist and postpartum nurse and an excitement for educating new families that is contagious. More details to come soon, but we couldn't hold the news in any longer!
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