Babies and young children are extremely vulnerable when in unfamiliar hot climates and special care needs to be taken to ensure that they are safe and healthy.

Babies under the age of six months should be kept in the shade as much as possible and older children should be closely monitored to ensure that they are limited to direct exposure to the sun.

Use of Sun Cream – babies and young children should use a protection factor of 40+. Cream should be applied 30 minutes before exposure to the sun and reapplied regularly (at least every 2 hours) throughout the day and always after swimming. Remember, children can burn delicate skin even in the shade so always ensure that your child is fully protected even if you intend sitting under an umbrella.

Hats – Children of all ages should wear a hat with a wide brim, a neck shield is also recommended for the under 4’s. It can be tricky to persuade children to wear a hat on holiday so it is a good idea to take your child with you when you go shopping so that they can choose their own hat which they are much more likely to want to wear if they have chosen it themselves. Any hat is better than no hat so if they want to wear a yellow hat with green and red polka dots then let them buy the one they want. If a hat is seen as being not ‘cool’ enough then experiment with a cotton scarf to make a trendy bandana (think Pirates of the Caribbean!).

Cover up – If possible children should wear loose fitting natural fibre clothing that covers the trunk , shoulders and arms, the fabric should be close weaved and remember this is not a substitute for sun cream. Children love to dress up and may be persuaded to wear an old adult t-shirt or a too big t-shirt with a favorite cartoon character.

Sunglasses – Most glasses sold for children are simply cheap plastic and do not provide any protection from the sun. Children's eyes are more susceptible to damage from UV rays as they are not yet fully developed. Children's Sunglasses should always be 100% UV protective and darker than normal so that as much light as possible is filtered out. There are some really funky wrap around shades on the market or ones with an integral head band to keep glasses in place.

Hydration – Children dehydrate very quickly in the heat but may not pick up the signs of thirst as quickly as an adult so it is really important to keep them drinking throughout the day. Small babies that are being breast or bottle fed may require additional cool boiled water to drink, if you are exclusively breast feeding and do not want to introduce a bottle than try giving the water from a spoon or from a beaker. Older children should drink plenty of water or very dilute fruit juices. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, between 1.1 and 1.5 liters of liquid (around eight to 10 cups) needs to be drunk each day to replace the average amount of natural fluid loss. This is in addition to any water provided in food or made by the body. This level is considered sufficient for a school age child in the British climate so remember if it is hot or children are taking part in energetic activities they will require more. A good tip is to set a drinks target with your child at the start of every day and monitor their consumption, perhaps by chilling bottles in the hotel mini bar. A cocktail cherry, a slice of fruit and a cocktail umbrella can make all the difference to the appeal of yet another glass of water!

Beware of ice cubes, check with the hotel if they are made with bottled or tap water, you should avoid the tap water ice cubes unless you are sure the mains water is safe to drink.

Remember, its ‘cool’ to be cool so have fun and be safe!

All advice given on the WWKC blog is based on Kate’s training and experience but please take professional medical advice if you are concerned about the welfare of your child.