We have a lot of questions about sunscreens in children . Under age 1 a child should not be in direct sunlight at all. It is OK to use mineral based sunscreens under age 1 , but avoidance is key.

Block vs screen-  some sunscreens are made with ingredients that “block” the sun . This would be similar to wearing clothing to block the sun. These are mineral based sunscreens that contain zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.  This is basically similar to diaper cream. They are the safest sunscreens to use particularly in younger children and infants.

SPF- this number relates to how long it takes to burn if you wear the sunscreen. Once you are at SPF30 you are filtering over 95% of the suns rays. Higher numbers give you diminishing returns. So look for SPF 30 or 40 and apply the sunscreen often.

A good resource is the website http://www.ewg.org

There is info on this website about safety of particular sunscreens so it can help you choose one for your child.