Protect Toddler's Skin All Year Round

Do you know that you can also get sunburn in winter? Yes you read it right. While we associate sunburn with summer, the sun can also be a threat in winter, especially when there is snow on the ground. I find it blinding usually while I drive when the sun is out and there are blankets of snow around me, it is just too bright and glaring. The reflection of the sun's rays on the snow can also be as intense as those from summer sun. And, although less of the burning UVB reaches the earth in winter, the also harmful UVA rays remain constant year-round. Since the suns rays also get more intense as you go up in elevation (an increase in 4% with every 1,000 feet above sea level) or get closer to the equator, more precautions need to be taken year-round in high altitudes or equatorial regions. And don't skip the sunscreen when it's hazy out, especially if you're at the beach, much of the sun's ultraviolet light can penetrate a ligh cloud cover. High rish kids ** need protection on hours long car rides, especially under a sun roof.

**Some kids are at greater risk under the sun than others and these children include:

• children with red or blonde hair and fair skin
• those with blue, green, or gray eyes
• those with a family history of skin cancer
• those who live in a tropoical or sub-tropical climate or at a high altitude
• those with large numbers of moles
• those, no matter what their coloring , who burn rather than tan
• freckled face is a sign of vulnerability to sun damage and may have had excessive sun exposure.

Any child who's at greater risk under the sun should routinely wear a sunscreen with SPF of 20 or more, and spend only limited time in direct midday sunlight.