Answer
In a 2011 policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidelines on limiting sun exposure in children. Specific recommendations for pediatricians include the following [105] :
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Health-supervision practices should include advice about UVR exposure, such as avoiding sunburn and suntan, wearing clothing and hats with brims, using sunglasses, and applying sunscreen; if possible, outdoor activities should be scheduled to limit exposure to peak-intensity midday sun (10 am to 4 pm).
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When a child or adolescent might sunburn, he or she should use sunscreen to reduce the known risks for sun exposure and sunburn, including the increased risk for skin cancer. Sunscreen with a sun-protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 should be applied every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating, or drying off with a towel. People may prefer to avoid sunscreens containing oxybenzone, as these may have weak estrogenic effects when absorbed through the skin.
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Although all children need counseling about UVR exposure, this is particularly true for children at high risk for the development of skin cancer, including those with light skin, nevi, and/or freckling; and/or a family history of melanoma.
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Skin cancer prevention is a lifelong effort, and beginning in infancy, at least one health maintenance visit per year should include advice about UVR exposure. All children are at risk for adverse effects of UVR exposure on the eyes and immune system, although not all children sunburn. Especially appropriate times for counseling about UVR exposure include during the spring and summer in northern states, before anticipated sunny vacations, and during visits for sunburns.
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Because outdoor physical activity should be strongly encouraged, this should be promoted in a sun-safe manner.
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Sun-protection practices tend to wane in early childhood. Beginning at age 9 or 10 years, it may be helpful for pediatricians to discuss sun protection with children, together with parents, to encourage joint responsibility for the child's sun protection.
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Infants younger than 6 months should be kept out of direct sunlight and covered with protective clothing and hats. When sun avoidance is impossible, parents may apply sunscreen only on exposed areas. Absorption of sunscreen ingredients may be higher in preterm infants.
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Pediatricians should become familiar with chemical photosensitizing agents. People using these oral or topical agents should limit sun exposure and avoid all ultraviolet A (UVA) light from artificial sources. When sun exposure is inevitable, they should wear fully protective clothing and high-SPF sunscreen that also blocks UVA wavelengths.
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Breast-fed and formula-fed infants and other children should receive vitamin D supplementation in accordance with guidelines, for a total intake of at least 400 IU of vitamin D daily. Children at risk for hypovitaminosis D may need laboratory testing of 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration.
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Deliberate UVR exposure to artificial sources and overexposure to sun with the goal of increasing vitamin D concentrations or for other reasons should be avoided.
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Pediatricians should advocate for adoption of sun-protective policies (eg, shaded playgrounds, outdoor time before 10 am, and allowing hats at schools and child care facilities).
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Pediatricians should support and advocate for legislation banning use of tanning parlors by children younger than 18 years.
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Media Gallery
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A pink, scaly lesion on the skin. Superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is often misdiagnosed as eczematous dermatitis or guttate psoriasis and is often difficult to distinguish clinically from Bowen disease (squamous cell carcinoma in situ). Features that suggest the diagnosis of superficial BCC are the absence of significant white, adherent scale and a history of the lesion remaining unchanged for several months or years. Treatment options for this tumor include electrodesiccation and curettage, surgical excision, cryosurgery, 5-fluorouracil, 5% imiquimod cream, and superficial radiotherapy. Electrodesiccation and curettage is the modality most commonly used, with a cure rate of approximately 95%.
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Basal cell carcinoma.
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A 68-year-old patient presenting with an advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the right periorbital region, frontal view. Courtesy of M Abraham Kuriakose, DDS, MD.
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Lateral view of face showing extent of tumor. Courtesy of M Abraham Kuriakose, DDS, MD.
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Basal cell carcinoma of the right lower lid.
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Biopsy-proven basal cell carcinoma of the upper lid margin. Note the loss of cilia (madarosis) in the area of the tumor.
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Medial canthal/lower lid basal cell. Note the pearly nodular surface with characteristic telangiectatic vessels. Proximity to the lacrimal system will impact its treatment and reconstruction.
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Nodular basal cell carcinoma.
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Nodular basal cell carcinoma appearing as a waxy, translucent papule with central depression and a few small erosions.
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Scale, erythema, and a threadlike raised border are present in this superficial basal cell carcinoma on the trunk.
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Large, superficial basal cell carcinoma.
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Basal cell carcinoma. Courtesy of Hon Pak, MD.
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Pigmented basal cell carcinoma.
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Pigmented basal cell carcinoma.
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Pigmented basal cell carcinoma has features of nodular basal cell carcinoma with the addition of dark pigmentation from melanin deposition. The pigmentation often has the appearance of dark droplets in the lesion, as shown here.
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This infiltrating basal cell cancer has ill-defined borders and telangiectases.
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This translucent pink papule has telangiectases and a crusted erosion, characteristic of nodular basal cell carcinoma.
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Large, scarlike morpheaform basal cell cancer.
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Nodular basal cell carcinoma. Nodular aggregates of basalioma cells are present in the dermis and exhibit peripheral palisading and retraction artifact. Melanin is also present within the tumor and in the surrounding stroma, as seen in pigmented basal cell carcinoma.
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Histologic pattern of a well-differentiated basal cell carcinoma (original magnification X140). Courtesy of Prof Pantaleo Bufo, University of Foggia, Italy.
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Histologic pattern of a well-differentiated basal cell carcinoma (original magnification X250). Courtesy of Prof Pantaleo Bufo, University of Foggia, Italy.
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Micronodular basal cell carcinoma often has an absence of retraction artifact. The characteristic histology is small size and uniformity of the tumor nodules. Courtesy of Shang I Brian Jiang, MD.
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Infiltrative basal cell carcinoma. Tumor cells are arranged in narrow strands, and mucin-rich stroma is often present. Courtesy of Shang I Brian Jiang, MD.
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Keratotic basal cell carcinoma. Rare type characterized by keratocysts. Courtesy of Shang I Brian Jiang, MD.
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Basosquamous basal cell carcinoma. Foci of neoplastic cells with squamous differentiation are present. Courtesy of Shang I Brian Jiang, MD.
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Histology of superficial basal cell carcinoma. Nests of basaloid cells are seen budding from the undersurface of the epidermis. Courtesy of Michael L Ramsey, MD.
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