Families have waited for the pool to lose its icy chill and for the sunlight to last until bedtime. Summer is here, and children are ready to live outdoors with the sun, bugs, trees and plants. But parents should be prepared to combat summer skin problems before they start.

Bob Stapleton, a pediatrician with Charleston Pediatrics and Behavioral Health, says unprotected summer fun can bring discomfort from sunburn, insect bites and poison ivy, as well as risks due to sun exposure.

Sunburn

Sunburn is painful, simply because it lives up to its name.

"It really is just like a burn," Stapleton says. "There's not a good treatment for it. The important thing is to prevent it. The big risk is for skin cancer. The risk goes up dramatically with each big burn."

Avoid sun exposure from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the hours of the most intense sun.

Before heading out to play, Stapleton says children should dress in lightweight, cotton clothes that cover the body. Rash guards

surfer-style shirts that protect the skin from chafing also provide excellent sun protection. Stapleton found rash guards for his family at local outlet stores.

"There's no reason for kids to go without shirts on the beach."

Eric Richards says he and wife Johnnie-Len make sure their son, John Bradley, 4, sports double protection.

"With John Bradley, we look for high SPF lotions and douse him real well. We also bought UV shirts. They breathe real well and he doesn't get too hot."

This is the first summer for the Richards' 6-month-old daughter, Cora.

"We're investigating sun shades for the beach and the water parks. She will be able to wear sunscreen soon."

While sunscreen is a critical component of summer skin protection, Stapleton says parents should avoid its use on infants younger than 6 months. For older children, it should be used liberally.

"The biggest reason for sunscreen failure is people just don't put on enough," Stapleton says. "A bottle of sunscreen should not last all summer."

Edward Kotz, a dermatologist with Carolina Dermatology in Charleston, says everyone, including African-Americans, should use a sunscreen with at least an SPF 30 rating.

"The important thing is to apply sunscreen 30 minutes before you go out so it is absorbed in the layers of skin where it needs to be."

He adds that barrier sunscreens like zinc oxide and titanium oxide may be a better choice for those with sensitive skin.

Whatever the choice, sunscreen does not withstand water and drying off.

"No matter what the bottle may say, you really should reapply every two to three hours."

That's advice Laurie Osbon takes to heart for her daughter, Gryphon, 2.

"Before I put her bathing suit on, I use Coppertone Water Babies lotion. I put it on pretty thick."

Osbon uses spray-on sunscreen a few hours later. She says the spray is easier to apply once Gryphon is playing at the beach.

For Osbon, the time spent protecting her daughter's skin now is an investment in her future.

"The thought of her getting cancer because we have been out in the sun scares me to death."

Richards says he, too, is thinking ahead, though he wants his children to stay safe now as well.

"I don't want to see them hurting. If we can avoid a burn, we want to do that. My grandfather passed away from skin cancer and I've seen other people who have had it."

Poison Ivy

Rhus dermatitis is the rash caused by exposure to poison ivy, oak and sumac, Stapleton says.

"It's the resin from the plant that causes the rash."

While exposure may be treated with oral or cream steroids, finding and removing the plant is the best course.

"Make sure it isn't growing around your house," Stapleton says. "Get pictures online and go see if it's out there."

Kotz says a rash potentially can be prevented by immediately washing the skin. The problem, he says, is that most people don't know they have been exposed until a rash appears.

Insect Bites

When efforts to avoid the sun's damaging rays take families outdoors in the evening, they are faced with mosquitoes and other insects that can turn happy kids into itchy targets.

Stapleton says parents often have concerns about diseases like West Nile Virus that are transmitted by insects. Though he says exposure would be "very, very rare," he encourages parents to include bite prevention as part of their summer routine. But he does think it should be kept in perspective.

"Worry more about bike helmets than West Nile."

To steer clear of bites, Stapleton's advice again starts with avoidance. Clothing that covers the skin including socks pulled up over long pants can help. Insect repellents also play a role. While some parents choose to avoid chemical repellents, Stapleton says products containing DEET are the most effective.

"We really think DEET is safe, but if you use a cover-up approach, you eliminate a lot of the skin."

Stapleton recommends Ultrathon, a product with a higher percentage of DEET than most on the market, but one he says actually results in less chemical absorption.

"The lower the percentage of DEET concentrations, the less time it works. Moms think they are buying safer DEET (with lower concentrations), but they are buying inferior DEET."

Kotz says parents applying insect repellents of any kind should avoid covering it with clothing, which can lead to more absorption.

Richards uses natural insect repellents, saying his experience has been "so far, so good. It's hard to find stuff without chemicals."

When bites do occur, Kotz says antihistamines such as Benadryl and an over-the-counter skin cream like Cortaid will usually provide relief.

Stapleton says a little planning is key. "Then it becomes second nature," he says. "Kids need to go outside and have fun."