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# A sunburned baby doesn’t make for much summer fun
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/a-sunburned-baby-doesnt-make-for-much-summer-fun/
- Published: 2005-05-17T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:10:25.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Health, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

Summer has arrived in Southern California. In areas like Santa Monica, that means lazy days spent at the beach or on the boardwalk. Before you relax and soak in the warm weather, however, be sure you and every member of your family is protected from the potentially harmful rays of the sun. In particular, if you have a new baby, there are some important facts you should know about protecting your infant from sun damage.

While there will be 1 million new cases of skin cancer this year, few of those cases occur in children and almost none in babies. This is because skin cancer is caused by the cumulative effects of sun damage and exposure. The sunburn your baby or toddler gets today may well develop into skin cancer tomorrow.

Babies’ skin is delicate and tender. It burns more easily than mature skin and needs special protection. You may be tempted to slather your baby with the highest SPF sunblock available, but it is not recommended for babies. Instead follow these tips: ■Limit your infant’s exposure to direct sunlight, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is at its strongest. ■Cover your baby up with a sun-blocking umbrella and loose fitting clothes, or move your child into the shade. ■Choose baby clothes and coverings with a tight weave to block the sun, or look for clothes advertised as sun blocking. ■Install a sunshade in your car and tint you rear passenger windows to limit direct sunlight on your child while driving. ■Do not use sunblock on your baby until they are at least 6 months old — zinc oxide and other ingredients found in sunscreen can irritate your child’s skin. ■Remember that sunlight reflects upward off of the water, giving swimmers double the exposure. ■Remember that sunburns do not appear immediately — they keep on developing even after the sun goes down. ■Don’t forget that the sun can burn you and your baby even on cloudy days. ■If you do use sunscreen on your infant or toddler, be sure to chose one labeled as hypoallergenic and PABA free.

If worst comes to worst and your baby is under 1 year old and develops a sunburn, call your pediatrician immediately — a severe sunburn is an emergency. Follow your doctor’s advice and remember: ■If your baby is sunburned, give him juice or water to replace lost fluids. ■A washcloth soaked in cool water can reduce your infant’s temperature and help make his skin feel better. ■Do not use any medicated lotions on your baby's skin unless your pediatrician recommends it. ■Keep your baby completely out of the sun until the sunburn is totally healed.

Summer is all about having fun. To avoid painful sunburns and the possibility of skin cancer, teach your children early to limit their exposure to the sun and use sun-block.

This article was written with the advice of Jeffrey Penso, M.D., a pediatrician with Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. To find a pediatrician like Dr. Penso, or any type of physician, log onto the Saint John’s Web site at www.stjohns.org. Select “Find a Physician” and respond to the computer prompts. Browsers can choose from a wide range of specialists, which are then sorted by location, gender and language.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 17, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/051705.pdf?ref=smdp.com)