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Toddlers Run to the
Sun
Background: In recent years,
people have become much more aware of the dangers of exposure to
the sun. Since sun damage is cumulative, this danger applies to
all ages. It is not unusual these days to look into a stroller
and see a baby wearing a hat, a long-sleeved shirt and even sun
glasses. But do these early measures translate into lifelong
habits when the baby starts to walk and becomes more
self-reliant?
Study: To determine if intensive
education of mothers of newborns would increase levels of sun
protection and lower rates of sunburns, changes in sun
protection practices and burning rates were determined for the
first and second summers of life. There were few differences
between intervention (intensive education) and the controls in
the use of sun protection. In both groups, the children's
routine use of hats, shirts, and shading devices dropped
substantially from the first to second summer. While sunscreen
use rose for both groups, paradoxically, the sunburn and tan
rate also climbed -- from 22% to 54%.
Comment: The findings in this
study mean that comprehensive sun protection begins to decline
at a much earlier age than previously thought. (Earlier studies
had suggested that ages 9 to 12 were the critical years.) The
reasons for the drop-off include the child's increasing
independence, parents thinking that toddlers are less
susceptible than babies to sunburn, and parents thinking that
sunscreens are enough.
Barbara
K. Hecht, Ph.D.
Frederick
Hecht, M.D.
Medical Editors, MedicineNet.com
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Are
Toddlers less Susceptible than Babies to Sunburns?