UK Issues 5 Child Heat-Safety Tips as Temperatures Top 30C

Q: Why do experts warn that popular 'once-a-day' sunscreens for children could be dangerously ineffective?

Experts warn that “once-a-day” sunscreens can be dangerously ineffective because they can give parents a false sense of security while protection drops sharply during the day. Independent testing cited by child-safety and skin-health experts found that some once-a-day products showed an average 74% fall in SPF protection. That is why groups including Cancer Research UK and the British Association of Dermatologists do not recommend relying on them. In practice, sunscreen wears off, breaks down in sunlight, and is reduced further by sweating, swimming and towel drying. For children, that matters even more because their skin is thinner, more sensitive and more vulnerable to UV damage. Experts say no sunscreen should be treated as all-day protection. It should be applied generously, using at least SPF 30 and strong UVA protection, and reapplied every two hours, and again after water exposure or heavy sweating. Another problem is under-application. Many people do not use enough sunscreen to achieve the protection stated on the label, so a product marketed as lasting all day may already be delivering less protection than parents expect from the start. The advice from experts is to treat sunscreen as only one layer of protection, not a guarantee. Children should also be kept in shade, especially between 11am and 3pm, and dressed in protective clothing and hats.

3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 19

Temperatures above 30C are forecast in parts of the UK this weekend, prompting advice aimed at babies and young children, whose bodies heat up faster than adults' and sweat less.
Five key steps focus on hydration, frequent sunscreen reapplication, staying out of direct sun from 11:00 to 15:00, loose protective clothing and cooler bedrooms at night.
NHS-backed guidance says breastfed babies usually need no extra water, formula-fed babies can have a little cooled boiled water, and babies under six months should be kept out of direct sunlight.
The advice also warns against relying on once-a-day sunscreen, covering prams with blankets that trap heat, or pointing electric fans directly at a child's body because of dehydration risk.