Summer is fast approaching and it’s set to be another hot one so we thought we’d give you our top tips for parents of babies during the warmer months.

 

Choosing sunscreen

Ideally, your baby’s skin shouldn’t be exposed to the sun at all. But there may be times when this is unavoidable therefore putting a child-friendly sunscreen on them will help protect them from the sun’s harmful rays.

Choosing sunscreen can be a bit of a minefield especially if you have a little one with eczema or very sensitive skin.

How well a sunscreen protects you from UVA and UVB UVA protection can be shown in different ways:

- a star rating - more stars means higher protection

- persistent pigment darkening (PPD) followed by a number - higher numbers mean better protection

The important point is to make sure there is some UVA protection included.

UVB protection is shown by the sun protection factor (SPF). The higher the SPF number, the better the protection is. In the UK factor, 50+ is the highest rating. A good standard of sunscreen protection would be one with a high SPF and high UVA protection.

Sunscreen should be:

- applied to all exposed skin 20-30 minutes before exposure to UVR

- reapplied every 2-3 hours for the whole time of exposure

- reapplied after towel drying, swimming or sweating, as up to 85% can be removed or rubbed off.

 

Heat exhaustion

Children can become hot and dehydrated without even realising it. In very warm weather make sure you keep your child hydrated with lots of water and look out for signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion.

If a child is acting out of sorts or is being ‘naughty’ ask yourself if it could be due to dehydration.

Signs your child might have heat exhaustion:

• headache
• dizziness and confusion
• loss of appetite
• feeling sick
• excessive sweating and pale clammy skin
• cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
• fast breathing or pulse
• high temperature
• very thirsty

If you think your child has heat exhaustion move them to a cool place, lie them down and raise their legs slightly. Get them to drink plenty of water and cool them down with a cool sponge.

If they don’t recover within 30 minutes seek medical attention.

 

Water safety

Water is a great tool for cooling little ones down in warm weather but it is also a serious hazard. Did you know that a child can drown in as little as 5cm of water?

Follow these safety tips this summer to keep your little ones safe:

At bathtime… never leave a child unattended in the bath for any length of time and remember that bath seats are there to support your child and are not a safety aid.

In the garden… Empty the paddling pool after you’ve used it and never leave children unattended when it’s out.

At the beach… teach your children the dangers of the sea from an early age. Always swim between the flagged area patrolled by lifeguards. Inflatables can easily be swept out to sea in the wind so it’s best to leave them at home if it’s a windy day.

ALWAYS supervise children in the sea regardless of their age.

 

To learn about how to deal with a range of emergencies involving babies and children in a relaxed and fun class book your Daisy First Aid class today by visiting www.daisyfirstaid.com and pop in your postcode to find your local trainer.

You can also get more Baby Safety Tips from Daisy First Aid’s Founder, Jenni Dunman, at The Baby Show with Lidl GB at the NEC Birmingham 12-14 May 2023. Jenni will be talking every day on The Live Talks Stage with ‘Baby First Aid’ which you can attend for FREE with your ticket to the Baby Show.

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