Although sunburn can occur at any time of the year people are out and about, summer is time when it happens most frequently. Much of the time, sunburn can be prevented, but if you’re out swimming or around water or sweating because of the heat, it can be hard to keep sunscreen on. In fact, it only takes about 15-30 minutes in the sun for sunburn to begin to develop, although the redness and tenderness doesn’t often present itself until a few hours later.

Anyone can get a sunburn, but kids may be more susceptible to it because they may have more sensitive skin, especially infants and toddlers. Extra precautions should be in place for younger kids to protect them from the sun, if possible. Those who have very fair skin, freckles, or moles or a history of skin cancer in the family are at the most risk for sunburns.

Some great protective clothing options are sun hats, long sleeved, but lightweight shirts, and light clothing colors. Dark clothing will attract more sun and should be avoided during the summer whenever possible to help avoid overheating and sunburns. When all else fails, simply staying out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day (10am-4pm) or applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen can help prevent sunburn as well and protect you and your children from the UVA and UVB rays coming from the sun.

Sometimes though, regardless of how much you try to prevent your child from getting sunburned, it can still happen. Don’t beat yourself up over it, things occasionally happen no matter the situation. After your child has gotten a sunburn, there are ways that you can treat and alleviate symptoms of it at home and help their skin heal quicker. Some of these treatments are outlined below.

1. Aloe Vera. One of the most common treatments for sunburn is aloe vera. Many people may already have aloe vera growing in their home for its medicinal benefits as sunburn relief, as well as soothing other minor scrapes and wounds. If you don’t have an aloe vera plant at home, you should try and get one, or choose aloe vera sunburn products that have no artificial dyes or fragrance in them for maximum effect and to keep from irritating the skin further.

2. Cool Bath. A cool bath can help alleviate some of the pain of a sunburn. There is conflicting evidence as to whether adding apple cider vinegar can help, but it may be worth a shot. According to Medicine Net, ACV can help balance the PH of sunburned skin and promote healing. Another bath additive that can be used to alleviate sunburn symptoms is collodial oatmeal and milk, or adding lavender or chamomile essential oil to the bath to help heal the skin. Baking soda is also an option, as it can help ease irritation and redness from a sunburn. Remember to not scrub your child's skin, as this could cause more pain and further irritate their skin.

3. Applying a moisturizer. Applying a moisturizer after a cool bath can help trap moisture in the skin and help revitalize it. If applying a moisturizer, don't use any with strong or artificial fragrances as this could make sunburn worse or cause more pain.

4. Drink extra water. Sunburns often draw fluids to the surface of the skin and away from the rest of the body. Drinking extra water when you or your child has a sunburn is a great way to keep yourselves from getting more dehydrated. A fun water bottle or straw may help encourage kids to stay hydrated before, during, and after a sunburn.

5. If the pain of the sunburn is significant, giving your child ibuprofen or advil can help with pain and swelling.

As with many things, prevention is key to avoiding sun burn, but sometimes no matter what, it can still happen. Everyone gets a sunburn at some point in their life. In some cases, sunburns can be severe enough to cause infection, but fortunately they are generally minor, and easily treated. For more information on preventing and treating sunburn, check out the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia here, and Medicine Net for natural remedies, here