Evening star., 1936-05-12

Schedules
For Young
Should Be Carefully
Planned-Expo-
sures Timed.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

NOW that the sun rises higher and
= shines upon us longer. SUM-
bathing is general. A word of cau-
tion may not be amiss. Be very
careful about exposing yourself to the
suns rays the first few times. Be
gin with few minutes exposure.
Sensitive skins, having been covered
for many months, burn easily. and 1t
is not good to burn the skin. So
much for the older sun bathers.
Children have to be carefully man.
aged during the SUM- bathing season
lest their skins be burned and sick
ness result. I would never expose a
baby to full sun without his ply
siclan's directions. 1t Is not safe
Consult the physician and he will
tell you at what hours, in what Sit
uations and for what periods of time
the child's sun bath should be given.
All these points are important, and as
they vary with the weather, the loca-
ton and the child, consultation with
the physician Is only good sense.
Little runabouts should be care
fully seasoned to the sun and air. q
little at time. The first exposures
should be allowed only after the child
has been out in the air fully dressed
for some weeks Of play. It Is unwise
to let q little one strip to his skin
and expose himself the very first day
ne feels like enjoying the sunshine
on his skin. Let him wear a eauzy
shirt until he becomes a bit accus-
toned to the weather and the sun
shine. If he Is at all delicate, or has
any skin trouble, consult the physician
about his baths and settle his sched-
ule with the doctors help.
There ought to be a time limit on
sun baths. 1t Is just as bad to allow
a child to bathe in the sun for hours
as it is for him to lie in his tub for
hours. Find just what length of
time seems best for him, get the
doctors advice, and then hold to
the schedule. It is q mistake to be-
lieve that it IS natural and safe for
a child to run naked in the open sun
shine because the sun is q natural
force. The two do not hang together.
Our children are not children Of ma
ture in that sense. Their rearing has
been artificial and must continue to
be so.
Boys and girls who go to Summer
camps should know enough to pro-
tect themselves against severe sun
burn, but some of them do not. I
saw group Of children freshly ar
rived from the city, run to their
cabins, shed their clothing, and,
dressed only in pair of shorts, lie
down in a row on the hillside to get
coat Of tan. %, no. It is good for us.
We want to be the brownest this
year. No, it doesn't make us sick"
But 1t did. Before the counselor
could be found to rescue them they
were badly burned, so badly that one
OF them was In bed for 10 days. That
sort Of thing is silly. And it is dan
gerous. Children old enough to 60
to camp ought to know the risks they
run in such exposures, and not make
themselves Ill. Counselors cannot be
everywhere at all times. They have to
depend upon the youngsters to exer-
else little commonsense.
The whole question calls for that.
Good sense will prevent bad burns,
sun sickness and injured skin, by
avoiding exposures that are untimely
or fl-advised. The doctors advice
will prevent still other bad results.
1t Is better to be safe than sorry.
(Copyright, 1850