Too much sun is not a good thing. While adults are used to wearing sunglasses, children aren’t. There is a tendency to think of sunglasses as a fashion accessory or luxury item.

The truth is, children need protective eyewear to shield their eyes from harmful ultraviolet (UV) light. And, if sunglasses are too expensive, then a cap will do.

The sun’s UV light is just too intense and although we do not see the damage now, there is a cumulative effect which will be evident in later years.

Eye surgeon and paediatric opthalmologist Dr Choong Yee Fong says that while UV light is harmful to everybody, it is more so for children.

“Why are children’s eyes more vulnerable to UV light damage? Firstly, children are much less likely to wear eye protection because most parents feel they don’t need it. We don’t have a school system that encourages protective eye wear. In fact, if you wear sunglasses to school you’ll probably be hauled up by the disciplinary master, which I think is completely wrong.

“Secondly, a child’s eye lens is very clear as opposed to an adult’s which is yellowish and tinged. The yellow tinge filters away a lot of the UV light so the amount of UV light that actually reaches the retina is much reduced. In children, almost all the harmful rays go into the eyes and reach the retina which is the part that we are worried about.

“As a result, a lot of damage is done at a young age,” explains Dr Choong.

Parents’ tips

Three parents share how they explained to their children the differences between boys and girls. One parent says it was easy because she has a son and a daughter. Another says she prefers to emphasise similarities rather than differences. And a third parent says it’s much harder these days because everyone is so different.

Traditional vs modern

In Malaysia, a lot of people rely on Western as well as traditional medicine and herbal remedies. Some swear by a particular concoction to get rid of the flu. Others insist traditional medicine is not safe at all.

Luie Chong, mother of a four-year-old, says she usually doesn’t give her daughter antibiotics.

“I let her try to recover on her own if it’s a slight cold. I just give her more water, barley to drink and vegetables to eat.

“My daughter also likes cooked garlic. She can eat a whole clove. I was very surprised but I’ve been told it’s good for the immune system. Hopefully that will keep her healthy, too.”

Paediatrician Dr Hon Mun Cheng says, “If you want to, then do it with caution but definitely not for children below one year. Every individual has a different reaction to traditional as well as Western medicine. But Western medicine has been tested and studied and many have already tried it – so it’s recognised, there’s evidence that it works.

However, traditional medicine is not recognised, there’s no big study done on it. So, you can try giving it to your child but with caution because anything might happen.”