Causes
In childhood, sun allergies are quite common and a distinction is made between different clinical pictures which are responsible for the complaints. The most widespread is the so-called polymorphic light dermatosis (PLD). This is a congenital hypersensitivity of the skin to sunlight, although the exact causes are not known.
The symptoms typically occur in spring when the skin is not yet accustomed to sunlight. After the child has been in the sun, itchy nodules and spots appear in the skin areas that have been exposed to sunlight. In the course of the year, the symptoms usually subside despite increasing exposure to sunlight.
This is because the skin becomes accustomed to sunlight. Over the winter, however, the habituation is often lost again, so that the symptoms of sun allergy can reappear in the child every spring. Nevertheless, polymorphic light dermatosis is more common in children than in adults, so that in many children the symptoms subside or disappear completely as they get older.
Girls suffer more often from this form of sun allergy beyond childhood than boys. Another rare cause of sun allergy in children is phytodermatis or “meadow grass dermatitis”. Here the interaction of plant substances, which increase the light sensitivity of the skin, with the sunlight leads to sunburn-like reactions.The skin changes therefore often occur when the child has had contact with corresponding plants such as bear claw perennials while playing outside.
Occasionally, typical patterns such as stripes due to grass with which the child came into contact can be seen in the skin reactions. A third cause of a sun allergy in the child may be the intake of certain medications. Like the herbal substances mentioned above, some active ingredients lead to an increased light sensitivity of the skin. As a result, sun exposure can cause redness and itching in the child. If skin changes occur while taking medication, it is advisable to consult the pediatrician.
How can you prevent sun allergy in children?
In order to prevent or at least prevent the child from developing an allergy to the sun, he or she should be protected as much as possible from direct sunlight. Children under one year of age should avoid exposure to the sun altogether, as the skin is still too thin and does not have enough pigments to protect itself from harmful influences. For older children, appropriate sun protection should be provided by clothing and, if necessary, a sun hat and sun cream with a high sun protection factor.
In addition, sun allergy can be prevented to a certain extent by slowly accustoming the child to sunlight in spring. For this purpose, many shorter stays in the open air should be made instead of longer periods in a row. During longer car journeys, the child can be protected by special sunlight protection films attached to the windows.
