. >> reporter: for melissa cummins, the news that her son had skin cancer was a shock. >> i was sick. actually dropped down and couldn't talk on the phone. >> reporter: while the centreville family often spent times outdoors hunting, fishing, and on the boat, she said she was vigilant about skin protection. >> they were not outside without hat, bonnets. as babies, sunscreen always gets put on. like to the point that my boys fussed at me. >> reporter: doctors agree that skin cancer at such a young age is uncommon, but the rates are increasing at a surprising rate. dr. bernard cohen is the director of pediatric dermtelling at the johns hopkins -- dermatology at the johns hopkins center in baltimore. ten years ago he never saw skin cancer in a child. now he sees a few cases a year. >> commensurate with the adult epidemic in skin cancer, children not far behind. clearly, people are getting more sun exposure. and kids are getting tons of sun exposure, particularly early in life. >> reporter: dr. cohen says it's not just melanoma that's on the rise, he's seeing more incidents of less seriou