Summer doesn t officially begin until June 21, but now is the time to take precautions against the damaging effects of sunshine. As children head outdoors for swimming, baseball, fishing and hiking, they should always use sunscreen. Over time, exposure to the sun can lead to sunburn, cataracts, premature wrinkling of the skin and skin cancer. It is now known that protection against the sun, especially early in life, greatly reduces the risk of skin cancer. Eighty per cent of exposure to the sun occurs by the age of 21.
Children spend substantial time outdoors, thereby creating a large risk factor.
Although only two percent of children are diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer, the average age at initial diagnosis has been steadily decreasing for the past few decades. Janell Grant, Nurse Practitioner at Platte Valley Pediatrics in Scottsbluff, said, The best thing to do is limit exposure time to the sun. If at all possible stay out of the sun during the peak hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If a child must be out, short intervals are best. As summer baseball gets underway remember, Baseball caps are inadequate for protection.