How to Treat A Child’s Sunburn: Soothing Remedies For A Speedy Recovery

Children love to play outside, but prolonged exposure to sun rays increases the risk of sunburn. Sunburn can simultaneously be irritating, itchy, and painful, making the child cranky and annoyed. It needs immediate treatment. But remember that treating sunburn is not as complicated as you think.

Several home remedies, such as honey, cucumber, dairy products, or even a cold shower, can ease the pain and assure a speedy recovery. Also, it means you don’t have to take the child to the doctor, and there is no need for bitter medicine. But if it is severe and takes longer to heal, it is better to see a doctor. So, before wasting any time, let's learn it together and learn about the effective remedies to treat sunburn.

What Is Sunburn: An Understanding

Sunburn is a reddish and painful reaction to ultraviolet rays, which can be from the sun or artificial sources. It can be caused by being under the sun for too long without any protective measures. Sunburn is more common in children than adults. Redness on the skin, body pain, dry skin (which starts to peel within a few days), inflammation, blisters, fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, and weakness are common symptoms of sunburn. When a person gets sunburned repeatedly, they can develop skin cancer and premature aging. Therefore, it must be treated in time, especially when the patient is a child.

There are three kinds of sunburn, based on the severity of the damage. First-degree and second-degree sunburns are the most common. First-degree sunburn damages the outer layer of your skin. It usually heals within a few days. Second-degree sunburn damages the dermis and causes blisters on the affected area, and it needs proper treatment. Third-degree sunburn is rare, and it is an emergency condition that damages all the layers of the skin.

How to Treat a Child’s Sunburn?

Did your child get sunburn, and are you worried about how to treat it? If so, don’t worry. We will tell you how to treat sunburn easily and simply at home. Using aloe vera and honey, keeping the child hydrated, cool showers, and protecting the skin are some of the most effective ways to treat sunburned skin. But how these home remedies can be helpful, let's understand here:

Using Aloe Vera and Applying Honey

Aloe vera and products containing aloe vera treat a child's sunburn. Many good-quality and effective lotions and gels containing aloe vera are available. They can soothe your child's burnt skin. Remember not to use any product with even a small fraction of petroleum. That's because petroleum traps heat inside your skin. Ingredients like benzocaine and lidocaine are considered to heal sunburn, but they are irritating, so you should avoid using them on your child. Besides that, honey has also been effective in healing burns for centuries; it works great. You might not believe it, but it can work better than various ointments. Honey speeds up the healing process and reduces the intensity of pain and infection.

Dairy Products And Cucumber For Sunburn

Dairy products contain useful probiotics and enzymes that boost the healing of sunburn. Greek yogurt has lactic acid, which reduces inflammation. You can also soak a clean cloth in cold milk and use it as a compress on the sunburnt area. It heals the sunburn and keeps the skin moisturized. In addition to dairy products, cucumbers contain antioxidant and analgesic properties. Therefore, they work well for treating sunburn. You must make a paste of chilled cucumbers and apply it to the sunburnt skin. It will reduce the pain and inflammation. Place the slices on the skin if making the paste is a big task.

Taking Frequent Cool Showers and Keeping the Child Hydrated

It is recommended that your child frequently take cool showers. It helps reduce the body temperature and lessen the inflammation. You can also add some oats to the water when showering to reduce irritation and moisturize the skin. Moreover, baking soda also helps with the pain. Never scrub the skin as it might damage it more. If the child resists frequent showers, you can use a cold compress or bags to soothe and cool down the burned area. Plus, keep your child hydrated to treat the sunburn speedily. Sunburn causes water loss from the skin's surface, and the body needs more water to balance the electrolyte loss. You should make the child drink plenty of water, juices, and other drinks. Keep a bottle filled with the fluid and give it to your child frequently.

Protecting Sunburned Skin

You should protect your child's skin, as exposure to the sun can further damage it. Dress them in lightweight but tight clothing. You can keep the child engaged in some fun indoor games and activities so that he doesn’t insist on going out. If going out is necessary, don’t forget to apply sunscreen every two hours. Wear a hat and sunglasses to add some extra protection. You can also give the child some painkillers. Professionals mostly recommend ibuprofen as an effective painkiller for sunburn, or you can see the doctor if the case is severe to avoid any medical complications. Especially if you observe any blisters on your child’s skin or if there are symptoms of heat stress like fever, vomiting, and dehydration, consult the doctor for the proper treatment and quick recovery.

Conclusion:

Summertime is children’s favorite time to spend fun outdoors, and that’s the time when they can get sunburned. If that happens to your child, you don’t need to panic, as sunburn can be easily treated at home. Applying honey, cucumbers, aloe vera gels, frequent cold showers, drinking plenty of water, cold compress, and protecting the sunburnt skin with clothing and sunscreens are some of the most useful remedies to quickly treat a child's sunburn. These remedies repair the damaged skin and reduce pain, irritation, and swelling. If the burn is stubborn, you must take the child to the doctor.