Video:How to Soothe Your Child's Sunburn

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Transcript:How to Soothe Your Child's Sunburn

Hey guys - Jonathon Stewart here for About.com with today's 90 second quick tip. Hanging out in the sun, swimming, boating, and skiing are great and fun ways to spend an afternoon for kids and adults alike. But what can happen when you forget to wear sunscreen, especially if it's your first dose of sun for a long time? That's right - sunburn city - ouch.

Now while your best bet is always prevention, here are a few tips for soothing your skin if you do get burned. Check it out.

Symptoms of Impending Sunburn

First, learn to recognize sunburn symptoms: pain and redness are pretty obvious, but you might also experience swelling of the skin, blisters, fever, chills and weakness. If you or your child's sunburn does develop blisters, or if the severity of the burn translates into fever, nausea, or vomiting, it's safest to call your physician and proceed from there.

If the burn is less severe, it's all about getting your skin to heal as quickly as possible, and curbing the accompanying pain.

Reducing Sunburn Pain

Try taking a cool bath with a couple ounces of baking soda, or using a cool compress on affected areas, but be sure not to apply any ice directly on burned skin. If your child is old enough, acetaminophen and ibuprofen over the first 48 hours can help to reduce pain and inflammation.

Topical creams and moisturizers can be helpful as well - hydrocortisone can be particularly effective if used right away, and aloe gel is a wonderful all-natural healer for your skin. If you have broken blisters, apply an antibiotic ointment, and be sure to keep them clean.

Again the first 48 hours are the most important, so be sure to keep a close eye on the burn, and drink lots and lots of water to help your body recuperate. Once your skin starts to peel, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

Avoid Sun While Sunburned

Finally, definitely stay out of the sun until your skin is completely healed. And this time, don't forget your sunscreen - remember that sunburns actually damage your body, and accumulated damage can lead to skin cancer and premature aging. I'm telling you, your wrinkle-free 50-year-old self will thank you!

Thanks for watching! To learn more, visit us on the web at parenting.about.com.