When the weather is nice, kids love to play outside. While playing in the sun, however, they can also be exposed to harmful UV rays that can end up being very damaging to their skin. That’s why a program in Ireland is taking the initiative to help educate children about the importance of protecting themselves from the sun’s rays.
Generation SunSmart in Sligo County, Ireland is handing out UV legionnaire hats this month to 4,000 students to wear to school every day during the summer holidays and into September, reports the Irish Examiner. The hats feature a flap that covers the ears and back of the neck, where the majority of sun exposure and damage occurs, especially for children younger than 18.
The program was started by Selene Daly, a dermatology nurse specialist at Sligo University Hospital. After visiting primary schools last year, Daly discovered poor levels of sun education. Teachers would often take children out for extended periods of time during nicer weather without proper UV protection – whether it was sunny or cloudy out. Many schools also lacked shade shelters, meaning that pupils had no place to find respite from the sun. Daly decided to act and started the Generation SunSmart program to help educate kids on how to protect themselves from the sun when they are outside. Plus, the hats are meant to provide children with convenient protection and serve as a conversation starter and reminder of the importance of sunscreen and other protection – no matter if the sky is overcast or clear.
Another way to protect kids from UV rays is sunglasses. Shades serve as sunscreen for the eyes by shielding them and the skin around them from the sun’s powerful UVA and UVB rays. Children’s eyes and skin have not finished developing, and the skin’s full immune system is not believed to fully mature until the age of 18, according to the Examiner, making protecting children’s eyes and skin all the more vital during childhood.
Real Kids Shades offers affordable sunglasses that are designed to be stylish and flexible to meet the needs of your children while offering protection from the damaging effects of UV radiation. For more information on our products or to order some for your kids, check out our full selection online now or call us at 800-283-1106 today!