0-5 Know How

Safety in the Sun

• Babies less than six months old should be kept out of the sun as their skin is unable to provide protection against the sun harmful rays at this age.

• Older infants should also avoid the sun when possible. If you do take out your infant during hot weather remember to attach a parasol or sun shade to their pushchair.

• Apply sunscreen to your children with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. Ensure the sunscreen also protects against UVA and UVB rays. Apply the sunscreen regularly, especially if your child is in and out of the water. Sunscreens generally have a two-year shelf life so check to ensure that your sunscreen is still effective.

• Make sure your child wears a sunhat with a wide brim or a long flap at the back to protect their head and neck from the sun.

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Avoid Dehydration

Like adults, babies and young children need to drink plenty of fluids to avoid becoming dehydrated.

• If you're breastfeeding your baby, you don't need to give them water as well as breast milk. But they may want to breastfeed more than usual.  

• If you're bottle feeding, as well as their usual milk feeds, you can give your baby cooled boiled water throughout the day. If your baby wakes at night, they'll probably want milk. If they have had their usual milk feeds, try cooled boiled water as well.

You can be creative when trying to keep your child hydrated. If they're over 6 months old and get bored with water, try giving them a combination of very diluted fruit juice, ice cubes and homemade fruit juice lollies throughout the day. For older children, plenty of fruit and salad will also help keep their fluid levels up.

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Keeping Cool

Follow the tips below to help keep your children cool and safe during hot weather.

• Playing in a paddling pool is a good way of keeping babies and children cool. Keep the pool in the shade during very hot weather and supervise the children carefully at all times.   

• Run them a cool bath before bedtime.

• Keep your child's bedroom cool during the day by closing blinds or curtains. You can also use a fan to circulate the air in the room.  

• Keep nightwear and bedclothes to a minimum. If your baby kicks or pushes off the covers during the night, consider putting them in just a nappy with a single well-secured sheet that won't work loose and cover their face or get entangled during the night.  

• A nursery thermometer will help you monitor the temperature of your baby's room. Your baby will sleep most comfortably when their room is between 16C (61F) and 20C (68F).  

 

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