Kids love running around outside in the summer, but it’s important to make sure that their delicate skin is protected from the damaging effects of the sun, including sunburn and, even more serious, heatstroke.
When the skin is exposed to a moderate amount of sunlight, the skin produces a pigment called melanin to help protect itself and this makes the skin go darker, resulting in a suntan. However, exposing the skin to too much sun without wearing sun protection causes the skin damage we refer to as sunburn.
Sunburn is the skin’s reaction to exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) light contained in sunlight. The exposed layer of skin releases chemicals that cause the blood vessels to expand and leak fluids, causing inflammation, pain and redness.
Excessive exposure to sunlight causes serious, long term damage to the skin. It reduces the skin’s elasticity, causes premature ageing, age spots and most serious of all, skin cancer.
The reason children are so susceptible to the harmful effects of the sun is that their skin is a lot thinner than ours. A child's skin can burn in as little as ten minutes.
Sunburned skin turns red within two to six hours of being burnt and continues to develop for the next 24 to 72 hours. Symptoms are:
- Pain and redness between 2 and 6 hours of sunburn.
- In severe cases, blistering and swelling of the skin and a high fever.
- Skin peeling and flaking 3 to 5 days after the sunburn.
- Heat exhaustion/heatstroke (see medical attention if this suspected).
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Homeopathy has been traditionally used to help relieve the symptoms of sunburn. The homeopathic remedies Belladonna and Cantharis can help relieve the pain and redness associated with sunburn. (Always read the label.)∏
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Pure Aloe Vera gel has great soothing and anti-inflammatory effects and can be applied after getting sunburn. Keep it in the fridge so that it is nice and chilled for when you need it. (Remember that Aloe Vera has no sun protection factor so do not replace with SPF cream.)
- There is some evidence that Vitamin E and C supplements* taken orally can help the skin recover faster from sunburn.
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Hydrotherapy such as cool baths, showers and towel compresses will help soothe the pain of sunburn.
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Iced tea. Soak a cloth in tea and place in the freezer. When the cloth is extremely cold place on the skin. Repeat until there is no more heat emitting from the skin. Any kind of tea will do, but mint is the best.
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Prevention is better than cure. To avoid sunburn completely, always wear a high SPF cream in the sun and try to cover up or keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm.
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Cold Compress for quick relief, wrap a bag of frozen vegetables in a cloth and apply them as a compress for the sunburn.
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Vinegar has long been used in the treatment of sunburn. Try adding a cup of vinegar to a cool bath and soak in it for around 20 minutes.
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Air dry. Don’t towel dry after a bath or shower as this will irritate the sunburned skin further.
- Wear loose fitting clothing so that your clothes do not irritate the sunburned skin.
* A food supplement must not be used as a substitute for a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
Heat stroke or sunstroke as it is sometimes called, is a serious condition where the body’s heat regulating system fails and the temperature of the body rises dramatically.
Sunstroke can affect anyone, but older people, children, sufferers of other chronic conditions and people who are very physically active are more prone to suffer with sunstroke than others.
Heatstroke can be very serious and if you suspect your child is suffering from this condition, please consult your doctor immediately.
When it’s hot, the body tries to cool itself down through increasing blood flow to the skin, sweating and exhaling hot air, but these systems sometimes fail, and the body overheats. It manifests itself as either heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Overheating of the body can occur due to excessively high outside temperatures, physical exertion, extensive burns, and severe sunburn or because of an undiagnosed medical condition such as an overactive thyroid gland. Heatstroke is often the result of heat exhaustion.
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Muscle weakness or cramps
- Stomach cramps
- Tiredness
- Loss of appetite
- Skin paler than normal
- Weak pulse
- High temperature
If left untreated these symptoms can develop to heatstroke and these symptoms include:
- Symptoms of heat exhaustion
- Confusion and disorientation
- Visual hallucinations
- Convulsions (uncontrollable muscle twitching)
- Unconsciousness
- Racing, thumping pulse
- Flushed, hot and dry skin
- And a sudden rise in temperature
If the sufferer experiences any of these symptoms, immediate medical attention is required. Heatstroke is a medical emergency as it can prove fatal.
Medical referral is always essential. Homeopathy is a complementary treatment and should not be used in place of medical treatment.
† Medical referral is advisable if symptoms worsen or persist.
∏ On no account should prescribed medication be discontinued, except under a doctor’s supervision.
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