Summer is one of the best seasons to enjoy open air activities with the family. For that, if one of the family members is a baby, it is important to protect their skin properly during sun exposure

So Dr. Jessica Alvarez, pediatrician at Clinica Ricardo Palma, mentions that to protect babies during summer time, they must wear light clothes, fresh, cotton made, not very tight, to avoid scalding. Remember to not put more clothe on the baby that what you would wear

Also, the expert mentions that a small child feels the temperature the same as an adult does, for that reason, “if during summer mom feels hot, the baby will also be hot. It is not a good idea to put on too many clothe, heat excess can cause a skin rush caused by to the obstruction of the sweat glands. It is preferable to not wear very tight synthetic clothe”

In relation to food, babies should eat water-rich fruits, such as watermelon, melon, pear, papaya, peach. Avoid sweet food rich in calories, such as chocolate, that increases the basal metabolism and produce heat

So, if you want to enjoy summer and at the same time protect your baby health, we now give you some advice by the specialist. Take notes!

• If the clothe gets wet, you need to change it (it is always good to have an extra clothe change)
• The best time to go outside is early morning and late afternoon, when the heat and the solar radiation intensity go down
• Do not expose the baby directly to the sun, it is always recommended indirect exposure
• Put on a cap and bring an umbrella for the time when the baby will be exposed to the sun
• Hydration with plenty of water is basic
• Sunscreen must be applied several times during sun exposure (every 2 or 3 hours), specially on children that go in in out of the water at beaches and swimming pools
• Use floaters
• Swimming in swimming pools and specially at the beach always have to be supervised by an adult
• It is not recommended to bring a baby until they are six months old. After that, they can go (better during hours with less sun), but keep them under the umbrella

The baby can bathe at the beach or swimming pool if the temperature is appropriate. Water must be temperate and we have to introduce the baby slowly, wetting the hands first, then the feet and the neck. To find out if your baby is hot, it is not a good indicator to touch their hands or feet. On the contrary, the best is to touch the neck, chest and back; if the baby is sweating, you’ll know he is hot, and you have to take off the clothe, give them fluids and refresh their skin. The heat can also make the baby more tearful

Dr. Jessica Álvarez
Pediatrician at Clínica Ricardo Palma