But it doesn't have to be that way. Skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society – just as long are you're aware of when and how to protect yourself and your kids.
In a study called "Prospective Study of Sunburn and Sun Behavior Patterns During Adolescence," researchers focused on the sunscreen application habits of 360 fifth graders.
In just a few years, they found a severe downward slide. About half the kids said they regularly applied sunscreen in 2004. By 2007, when the researchers followed up with the same children, that number was down to 25 percent.
By the time the kids in the study turned 14, they were 60-70 percent less likely to wear sunscreen out regularly during the summer months, the study found.
The study also found that three-year span between ages 11 and 14 "is a critical time in developing attitudes about tanning and wearing sunscreen, especially among girls," notes a WebMD article about the study.
Whether it's coming from the sun or the tanning beds, exposure to UV light radiation can be modified to reduce the risk of developing melanoma, WebMD reports.
Just because the sun isn't beating down doesn't mean its damaging rays aren't making their way through the clouds.
Dr. Joanna Gammons, a board certified dermatologist at Gammons Wellness and Dermatology in Royal Oak, says many people have misconceptions about the necessity of protecting their skin during the winter months.
"A lot of people say you don't need to wear it because there's no sun, but you absolutely need to," Gammons says. She adds that rays that are damaging to the skin – and can cause skin cancers – still get through.
"Reflection of radiation from snow requires aggressive sunscreen protection – maybe even more than summertime as individuals participate in snow activities like skiing and snowboarding," Dr. Alex A. Khadavi, founder of Advanced Skin & Hair, told Stylelist. "Almost 80 percent of UV radiation is reflected from snow, while only 25 percent from sand."
Getting children in the habit of regularly using sunscreen during any season of the year is difficult, Gammons says.
"(Sunscreen) is sticky and burns their eyes, but they need to use it," she says.
Gammons recommends that parents find a formula that agrees with their child's skin, is gentle and PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid)-free. She also recommends using stick-style sunscreen instead of liquid on children's faces, because it is less likely to run into their eyes.
Encourage your kids to develop a sunscreen habit early on in life, because from birth to 30 years old, we're most prone to skin damage, she says, adding, "It's all about education."
The Pediatrics study noted that at least 50 percent of kids experience sunburns before age 11 – and again three years later. So, it concluded, "Targeting children in pediatric offices and community settings regarding unprotected UV exposure may be a practical approach."
Source - https://www.metroparent.com/daily/health-fitness/childrens-health/sunscreen-in-winter-why-its-key-for-kids-all-year-long/
]]>!-- --> Did you know that 1 out of every 4 children suffers from vision problems that interfere with learning? Children with uncorrected vision conditions or eye health problems face many barriers in life, academically, socially, and athletically. High-quality eye health care can break down these barriers and help enable your children to reach their highest potential! As a parent, make sure you are giving your children the eye health care they need. Presented are guidelines from the American Optometric Association.
Your baby has a whole lifetime to see and learn. But did you know your baby also has to learn to see? As a parent, there are many things that you can do to help your baby's vision develop.
When your baby is about six months old, consider taking him to an optometrist for his/her first InfantSEE eye examination. This program provides an eye health evaluation at no charge for children up to 1 year. Testing will be done for excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, lack of eye movement ability, as well as other eye health problems. These problems are not common, but it is important to identify children who have them at this stage. Vision development and eye health problems can be more easily corrected if treatment is begun early.
Your baby should begin to follow moving objects with the eyes and reach for things, first by chance and later more accurately, as hand-eye coordination and depth perception begin to develop. To help, use a nightlight or other dim lamp in your baby's room; change the crib's position frequently and your child's position in it; keep reach-and-touch toys within your baby's focus, about eight to twelve inches; talk to your baby as you walk around the room; alternate right and left sides with each feeding; and hang a mobile above and outside the crib.
Your baby should begin to turn from side to side and use his or her arms and legs. Eye movement and eye/body coordination skills should develop further and both eyes should focus equally. Enable your baby to explore different shapes and textures with his or her fingers; give your baby the freedom to crawl and explore; hang objects across the crib; and play "patty cake" and "peek-a-boo" with your baby.
Your baby should be mobile now, crawling and pulling himself or herself up. He or she will begin to use both eyes together and judge distances and grasp and throw objects with greater precision. To support development do not encourage early walking - crawling is important in developing eye-hand-foot-body coordination; give your baby stacking and take-apart toys; and provide objects your baby can touch, hold, and see at the same time.
Your child's eye-hand coordination and depth perception will continue to develop and he or she will begin to understand abstract terms. Things you can do are encourage walking; provide building blocks, simple puzzles and balls; and provide opportunities to climb and explore indoors and out. There are many other affectionate and loving ways in which you can aid your baby's vision development. Use your creativity and imagination. Ask your doctor to suggest other specific activities.
During infant and toddler years, your child has been developing many vision skills. In the preschool years, this process continues, as your child develops visually guided eye-hand-body coordination, fine motor skills, and the visual motor skills necessary to learn to read.
As a parent, you should watch for signs that may indicate a vision development problem, including:
There are everyday things that you can do at home to help your preschooler's vision develop as it should. These activities include:
Your child should have a thorough optometric eye health examination to make sure your preschooler's vision is developing properly and there is no evidence of eye disease. If needed, your doctor can prescribe treatment including glasses and/or vision therapy to correct a vision development problem.
Here are several tips to make your child's optometric eye health examination a positive experience:
Unless recommended otherwise, your child's next eye health examination should be at age five. By comparing test results of the two examinations, your doctor can tell how well your child's vision is developing for the next major step. . .into the school years.
A good education for your child means good schools, good teachers and good vision. Your child's eyes are constantly in use in the classroom and at play. So when his or her vision is not functioning properly, learning and participation in recreational activities will suffer. The basic vision skills needed for school use are:
If any of these or other vision skills is lacking or does not function properly, your child will have to work harder. This can lead to headaches, fatigue and other eyestrain problems. As a parent, be alert for symptoms that may indicate your child has a vision or visual processing problem. Be sure to tell your doctor if your child frequently:
Since vision changes can occur without you or your child noticing them, your child should visit an optometrist at least every two years, or more frequently, if specific problems or risk factors exist. If needed, doctors can prescribe treatment including eyeglasses, contact lenses or vision therapy. Remember, a school vision or pediatrician's screening is not a substitute for a thorough eye health examination.
Source: https://www.afvcweb.com/eye-health/childrens-vision.html
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If your child is a winter sport enthusiast then you must guide them about the proper precautions which they must take to get ready mentally and physically before undertaking the activity.
Children can meet with small accidents and mishaps while they’re learning to ski so parents must insure that they’re fully protected as well as covered.
Having a proper fitting goggle is a key factor to enjoying a day on the slopes, getting a clear field of view of the mountains around you, and protecting your eyes and face from the elements. A good fitting goggle will have a seamless wrap across your face, and not pinch your nose.
Will you be wearing a helmet?
Just about every ski goggle is now helmet compatible, and some helmet manufactures make helmets that have adjustments that will help compensate for oversized goggles. A goggle should have a seamless interface between the brim or forehead and the top of the goggle. Any extra space there will create a gap know as “gaper gap” that exposes your forehead to the sun, wind, and snow that can be very uncomfortable.
Strap Adjustments
The strap on all goggles is adjustable to allow an adequate amount of pressure across your face to keep the elements out, but still be comfortable.
How should my goggles fit and feel?
A goggle should feel snug across your cheek bones, forehead and nose without pinching or causing discomfort. The bridge of the nose can be the most common place for pinching. It can easily be corrected by adjusting the elastic strap. The goggle should also not give you any pressure on the outer eye socket or anywhere else near the orbital bone. If you are getting pressure then a larger frame is the remedy for that.
Sure, sunglasses look adorable on babies. But did you know they’re more than just an accessory – they’re actually a health necessity?
Sunglasses provide comfort from the brightness of the sun, but they also offer protection from harmful ultraviolet rays that can damage your baby’s eyes.
UV rays can damage the eyes of babies and children, opthalmologists advise.
UV radiation has been associated with a myriad of health issues including (source):
They recommend that all youngsters under the age of 10 should wear sunglasses in strong sunshine. But they should be good sunglasses.
The cornea, lens and fluids are clearer in a child’s eye than in an adult’s. This allows more short wavelength light to reach the retina, which can lead to cataracts in later life.
Estimates vary, but it is thought that between 60 and 80 percent of sun exposure takes place prior to the age of 18.
Children and teenagers are particularly susceptible to the sun's damaging rays because they typically spend more time outdoors than adults.
Sonal Rughani, Senior Service Advisor for RNIB (charity supporting blind and partially sighted people), says, "A substantial amount of our exposure to sunlight occurs when we are children.
"As the leading charity committed to preventing avoidable sight loss, we encourage children to look after their eyes, as excessive exposure to sunlight can potentially damage the eyes and may contribute to the onset of other eye-related conditions such as AMD and cataracts.
"Sunglasses with proper UV protection can make a positive contribution to eye protection in the young."
If you have a particularly young child and they are in a stroller with a shade or cover they likely do not need sunglasses.
However, if you are wearing or carrying your baby, pushing them in a stroller without a shade, or if they are playing outside, use sunglasses to protect your baby’s eyes.
Invest in quality sun protection to protect baby's sensitive eyes. Be sure to grab a pair for the diaper bag, the car and school or day care so you'll never have to go looking for them.
When buying sunglasses for your baby, keep in mind the following:
If your baby really resists, and tries to pull them off every time you put them on, don't get stressed. Just make sure your baby wears a hat with a wide brim or visor. And remember, there are baby sunglasses, such as Adventure Banz or Retro Banz, which have a stretchy band that goes gently right round your baby's head (and is much harder for your baby to take off!).
]]>Let's face it, we LOVE cheering for our favorite team at a live game. The energy you get from other fans, the music booming, the announcers on the overhead speakers calling each play, it's all a part of what gets us into the game and excited for our team. But, while we're enjoying the loud and the fun, we don't often concern ourselves with just how damaging that loud noise is to our hearing.
Loud noises can have lasting negative effects on our hearing. And while adults might be okay leaving the game with that dull feeling in their ears (they should have earplugs, too), for infants and children, the effects can be a long lasting problem that they didn't get to choose.
For infants and kids, super loud noises can be scary and painful or overwhelming. Protecting them with proper fitting hearing protection will prevent permanent noise-induced hearing loss and allow them to enjoy the events they are at happily.
The goal for hearing protection is not to completely avoid loud situation, or even to drown out or block out the noise completely, but rather to offer a buffer that will allow you, and your children, to enjoy the noise safely.
Families heading to the game will be busy packing a lot of essentials, bottles, snacks, blankets, seat cushions, and big foam fingers, but an essential that is often missed is hearing protection.
Be prepared, all you die-hard sports-loving parents, because child hearing protection does have one potential drawback: with a good pair of baby ear muffs on, your tiny little sports fan in the making may snooze right through his or her very first football game!
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Summer weather is here and there may be more opportunities for you and your family to spend more time
Noise-induced hearing loss can be caused by sudden loud sounds such as the bang of a gun, or by extended exposure to any loud noise over 85dB, such as from a loud band (dB stands for decibel, which is a unit of measurement for the loudness level of sound).
(Source: American Academy of Audiology)
Noise damages to the sensory part of our inner ear. This sensory component is needed to help send sound signals to the hearing nerve and ultimately the brain.
Here is a list of tips to help protect your hearing:
Be conscious of the time you’re spending around loud noise.
Consider over-ear hearing protection, which you can get in your child's size. Banz even makes headphones just for babies to protect their hearing!
Most volume controls can be turned up much louder than what is considered a safe listening level. Use the 50% percent rule. Set the volume so that it only goes up to the halfway point on a volume wheel. For little ones and teenagers, you may want to use a marker to indicate the half-way point for them. This is important for better awareness and to reduce significant exposure.
Banz Safe
Help raise awareness and educate your children about safe listening levels because starting safe practices early in life will put them on the road towards
The following national programs aim to raise awareness of
For additional information about
Adapted from: Julie Stefanski, Au.D., F-AAA, is an audiologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center.
]]>SunSmart tips
Undercover Cody, the coolest SunSmart turtle is here to keep you safe in the sun and remind you to Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap this summer.
Slip …
into a shirt and into some shade between 10am and 4pm when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are at their strongest.
Slop …
on some sunscreen before going outdoors. The best type is called an SPF30+ broad-spectrum sunscreen. Wipe it on thickly at least 15 minutes before going outside, and then reapply when you get outside to make sure you’ve covered all your skin completely. If you go swimming or run around and get sweaty, make sure you put sunscreen on again every two hours.
Slap …
on a hat. The best hats to wear are the wide brimmed hats or bucket hats. Caps are not sun smart as they do not protect the back of the neck and ears but if that’s all you have make sure you slap it on.
and
Wrap …
on a pair of sunglasses. Choose close fitting wraparound sunglasses.
Remember, you can get sunburnt on a cloudy day or in the water. It’s the rays of the sun that burn your skin, not the heat so even when it is cool or cloudy you can still get sun burnt. The re‑flection from the water can make the rays of the sun even stronger so always make sure you Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap kids!
Source: Undercover Cody™ is a Waikato/Bay of Plenty Division Cancer Society of NZ Inc initiative. http://www.undercovercody.co.nz/
]]>We all know the phrase "Practice makes perfect!" While perfection isn't always the outcome, when you practice Sun Safe Habits regularly with your children, they soon become second nature, establishing habits that will protect your children for a lifetime.
Talking to kids about Sun Safety and covering up is easy when you rememebr SLIP, SLOP, SLAP and WRAP! Not only is it fun to say, it's become the standard in Australia and New Zealand for teaching kids to be sun safe outdoors.
Use these four easy words to help you remember just what to do!
Download these fun worksheets to continue the conversation with your preschool and kindergarten aged children! Ask your child to draw a hat or sunglasses on the Sun to help protect him!
Find and customize more great coloring pages and worksheets at http://twistynoodle.com
]]>Start a discussion with your children about the importance of hearing safety with this fun, printable bookmark!
]]>Start a discussion with your children about the importance of hearing safety with this fun, printable bookmark!
Download your printable copy free from NIH.gov
This national public education campaign is designed to increase awareness among parents of children ages 8 to 12 about the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. With this information, parents and other adults can encourage children to adopt healthy hearing habits before and during the time that they develop listening, leisure, and working habits. It's a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing® and the Noisy Planet logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Need hearing protection? Comfortable foam pads, sturdy cups, foldability and stringent specs
Bubblefish among the top 50 in the world
Bubblefish is pleased and humbled to be voted by an international jury to REBRAND100.
The REBRAND 100® Global Awards is the highest recognition for excellence in brand repositioning – and the first and only competition of its kind. Now in its thirteenth year, the 2018 winners included entries from 28 countries that demonstrated excellence in brand transformation.
We are particularly stoked because we won a Distinction which puts us in the top 50. For a boutique brand building agency, this is truly a rare honour.
Despite the debate on the number of Awards in the industry, their relevance and credibility, the team at Bubblefish is really pleased because this win comes soon after our client’s tangible success in scaling new heights as a result of our work. BANZ Carewear for kids, the winning brand has been making waves in the blue ocean since it was relaunched.
Our congratulations to all the other winners - from Australia and around the world.
]]>Myth #2: Sunglasses with UV protection are expensive
You do not have to pay a premium to get proper UV protection. UV protection should always be provided, regardless of price or retail location. Where price may play a factor is in sunglass frames, lens quality and/or a specific lens material.
Myth #3: The darker the lens is, the better the protection
UV protection has nothing to do with the darkness or color of a lens. Dark lenses without adequate UV protection can actually be worse than no sunglasses at all because they cause the eye’s pupil to dilate, which then increases retinal exposure to the unfiltered UV.
Myth #4: Children don't need sunglasses as much as adults
Children receive three times the annual sun exposure of adults, increasing their susceptibility to UV eye damage. And, unlike the mature ocular lens of an adult eye, a child’s immature lens cannot filter out UV as easily. The need for UV protection for children is compounded by the fact that it is easier to find youth sunglasses that do not provide adequate UV protection. That’s why parents should always have their children's sunglasses tested for UV protection.
Myth #5: You don’t need sunglasses on cloudy days
UV rays are just as dangerous on cloudy days as they are on clear days. Just like skin, eyes can accumulate harmful UV radiation on overcast days so be sure to wear proper eye and skin protection while outside.
Myth #6 Sunglasses are only a matter of style, not health
Prolonged exposure to UV light can cause serious long-term damage to the human eye. The negative effects can take years or even decades to show and can have a big impact on vision health later in life. A good pair of sunglasses can help minimize the risk of eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration, which can lead to permanent vision loss.
Myth #7: Sunglasses are not appropriate for people with prescription eyeglasses
Anyone who is exposed to UV should protect themselves with sunglasses. People who regularly wear prescription glasses should wear Rx sunglasses when outside. And even those with contacts should wear sunglasses to protect exposed parts of the eye. An optometrist can outfit you in the perfect pair of prescription sunglasses.
Myth #8: The sun is weaker in the winter, meaning eyes are safer and less apt to be exposed to damaging UV rays
Similar to cloudy days, cold days also carry UV risk. The sun is present year-round which means UV rays are a constant regardless of weather. UV rays can’t be seen but their long-term effects are extremely damaging to the eyes.
Myth #9: The eye is no more vulnerable to solar UV than other parts of the body.
More than any other organ but skin, the eye can suffer significant injury from the sun.
- The Vision Council
]]>Another sighting of an adorable baby wearing the Baby BanZ Blue Infant Hearing Protection was seen as the camera panned the crowd during the USA vs Argentina Men's Basketball game.
Both babies look calm despite the loud sports venues thanks to the 21 decibel Noise Reduction Rating of the Baby BanZ Hearing Protection! BanZ for the win!
Click here to get your own pair of hearing protection for your own little winner! Hearing Protection is available for ages 0-10yrs!
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