UV rays are most intense from 10 AM to 4 PM, and this is when students are usually outside for break, lunch and Physical Education. XP offers the following recommendations for keeping students sun-safe during the spring/summer months:
- Clothing is the single most effective form of sun protection for the body, so send kids to school in densely woven and bright-coloured fabrics, which offer the best defence. The more skin you cover, the better, so choose long sleeves and long pants whenever possible.
- Send children to school with a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, to protect their face, neck and eyes. If they won’t wear a wide-brimmed hat, a baseball cap is better than nothing.
- Make sunscreen part of the morning routine: At least 30 minutes before children go outside, parents should apply a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher to their skin. Older children should learn to apply sunscreen themselves and make it a routine habit. To remain effective, sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating. At a minimum, remind children to reapply sunscreen before outdoor activities.
- One ounce of sunscreen (about the size of a golf ball) should be applied to the entire body. Remind children to cover those easy to miss spots, such as the back of ears and neck, as well as the tops of the feet and hands.
You should also note that windy, warm, and sunny days can increase levels of pollen turnout.
If you’ve ever suffered from a snotty nose, watery eyes, or itchiness, then you know exactly how annoying allergy season is for many – especially when it’s finally warm enough to enjoy the outdoors again.
Allergies can be especially frustrating in a year like 2021, when most people have been limited to the confines of their homes for months on end. Plus, thanks to climate change, it turns out that people’s allergies are actually getting worse over time. Temperature increases lead to more pollen production, which can be a major irritant for those with respiratory issues like asthma. This might be the longest, most intense allergy season yet.
But knowing when exactly allergy season will start this year, and how to prep your body for any allergen invaders, will help you fight back. To get specific information around this, Pollen.com has a National Allergy Map that provides an up-to-date allergy forecast in different areas around the country and an Allergy Alert app that gives five-day forecasts with in-depth information on specific allergens.
Allergists recommend you start taking medication a couple of weeks before the allergy season arrives, or at the latest, take them the moment you begin having symptoms. Taking them early can stop an immune system freak-out before it happens, lessening the severity of symptoms.
If your child requires hay fever medication, please ensure you fill in a medical form and hand their medication to a staff member at reception. We must not have medication in students’ bags.
Any questions, please email [email protected] or [email protected].
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