Sun clothing may not exactly be on top of an ordinary parent's shopping list. After all, the popular idea is that sunscreens and sunblocks along with cover-ups are sufficient protection against the harmful effects of the sun's ultraviolet rays. But this is untrue in every way possible because even the best sunscreens will require assistance to amplify its effects, which is where UV clothing comes in.

Paying for Sun Exposure in Childhood

We have all heard stories of family and friends who have had bad sunburns and blisters from childhood summers spent at the beach, often without the benefit of sunscreen, much less sun clothing. This was, after all, the time when skin cancer was attributed to hardcore tanning enthusiasts who spent countless hours in tanning salons, not children out having fun in the sun.

These skin damages healed in time to become just bad memories of an otherwise memorable vacation. We just applied some ointment on the blisters and burns, went on with our lives and forgot all about them. Or so we all thought we can forget.

It turns out that the risk for skin cancer more than doubles for individuals who have had searing sunburns in their childhood years. Yes, you may have forgotten about it but the cells in your body, which have mutated with exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays, will come back to haunt your days. This time, ointments will not be sufficient treatment.

Children Should Be Protected At All Times

With such risks, you should take responsibility in protecting your child from the sun. Of course, it is also the source of life on Earth as well as one of the best sources for vitamin D. But it can also be the source of skin cancer for our kids, if not today then in their later years.

You have to be vigilant at all times where your children and the sun are concerned. We are not just talking about sunscreens and sunblocks, of course, because sun clothing from the hats to the pants also plays a significant part in it. Add in the right times when to expose your baby to the sun, both in terms of the time of day and the age of the child, and you have done your part in lessening the risks of your children contracting skin cancer at a later age.

You can follow these simple guidelines in this respect:

• Infants under 6 months of age should not be exposed to the sun. You should never ever apply sunscreen as their delicate skin cannot handle it. Now, there will be instances when you have to go out of the house.

In these cases, you should ensure that your baby is covered from head to foot especially with a hat covering the face, neck and ears. If your baby must be exposed to the sun upon doctor's advice, such as when getting vitamin D, be sure to do so before 9 AM only.

• Children above 6 months of age should be made to wear sun protecting clothing like shirts, hats and sunglasses whenever they are out in sun especially the beach. Of course, sunscreens are de rigueur.

As a parent, it is up to you to plan in advance by purchasing the necessary sun protection supplies. You have to include sun clothing your shopping list, too.