Clothing to Keep Your Children Safe from the Sun

I don't know about the rest of you, but when I got in my vehicle yesterday the thermostat indicated it was a roasting 107 degrees. Talk about an ouch factor. Of course once I got moving it cooled down to a nice, balmy 97 degrees. Okay, so that isn't an ideal temperature, which indicates you'll need extra protection from the sun when you are outdoors. There are plenty of places to get sun protection clothing that won't break your budget, but it will protect your kids from burning which in turns keeps you from sitting up all night trying to make them feel better.

The fabric they used to make sun protective clothing is rated according to an Ultraviolet Protection Factor which rates protection against both UVA and UVB light. For instance, a garment with a UPF of 50 blocks out 98% of the UV radiation that falls on the surface of the garment from getting through. That translates to better protection for your family. To get a slightly better understanding, the SPF rating you see on your favorite suntan lotion only measures how well it protects against UVB, not UVA, so you're not getting as much protection as you may think you are. Adults are hopefully smart enough to know when to get protection from the sun, but our children won't. I know this because I remember once getting sunstroke from being out in the sun too long and boy did I pay for that. However, I was a child and the adult I was with was unfortunately not smart enough to take action before it was too late. Needless to say after sitting up with a sick child all night long, my mother did not allow me to go to the beach with this family again.

Additionally, you may think your children are getting enough protection by wearing clothes while out in the sun, however that is not the case. A study done in 2002 and published in BioMed Central, concluded that most clothing has about as much protection as a sunscreen with an SPF factor of 30. Obviously, proper clothing can aide in preventing something as minor as heatstroke to a more serious problem of skin cancer. Also, it does not matter where you live or what your climate is like. UVA can do the same damage in Washington in the winter as it can in Miami in the summer.

If you take a lilttle Internet tour to coolibar.com you will find a great selection of sun protective clothing at this site. They offer all sorts of clothing for children, including swimwear and hats. Their selection of jackets, t-shirts, shorts, swim skirts and hats can be purchased for pretty much what you pay for everyday clothing so there is no reason not to take an extra step in protecting your kids. You are looking at spending about an average of $20-$25 per piece and around $15-$20 for the hats. They also offer chlorine resistant hats so your children can play in the pool or ocean while still being protected.

Another site to look at is equatorsun.com. Here you can find swim suits and clothing. They also offer a Sunsuit which provides more coverage for your kids. They also carry hats, vests and sunglasses. All clothing has a UPF50+ rating so you can rest assured your children are not getting as much of the sun's harmful rays as they normally would.

One more site that had some great choices is solareclipse.com. They have these adorable one and two piece surf suits that are shorts with short sleeve tops. They all cost $39.00 and come in a variety of colors that are perfect for the kids. They also have t-shirts, long and short sleeve, to offer cool but effective protection against the sun.

Remember to always apply sunscreen on your children for all over protection whenever they venture outside. This choice of clothing is good protection, but when it comes to your children, you can never be too careful. Another way to avoid problems is to limit their sun exposure between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm when the UV rays are at their peak. A safe child is also a happy child.