What factor suncream would you put on a toddler in Spain next week?

[lurcherlover]

DS is 19mo, blonde-haired and blue-eyed and I suspect would burn very easily. We are off to Spain. Last year I was mega-paranoid abroad and had him slathered in factor 50, plus hat, sunshade on pram, threw a strop at DH if DS was in the sun for more than five seconds etc etc. He was only six months old and my PFB but I accept I was probably a bit excessive with it all. I'm not sure what to do this time - he is obviously very mobile now and will be running round everywhere, in the pool etc. Do I stick with the factor 50, or is there an argument for him needing a bit of vitamin D so I should maybe go down to factor 30? Thoughts please?

I'd probably stick to factor 50 still.

Factor 50 all the way for me.

I agree factor 50. 2 year old DD has had factor 50 on in this recent sun here in the uk. And I think the Spanish sun is stronger (?)

Factor 50.

i'm off to spain in two weeks and my 3 and 4 year olds will be covered in factor 50 the entire time. both are fair skinned so anything less would be neglect in my eyes.

I am very pro vit D, but with a blond toddler in Spain if it's sunny I'd slap the factor 50 on, and a hat and a Tshirt with Lycra in it.

at that age I would use one of those sunscreen suits plus factor 50 on his extremities

& a sunhat with a neck flap

he'll get enough vitamin D ehrn you're back in the UK at this time of year

*ehrn = when

30

Factor 50, but more important is the hat/t-shirt/sunsuit/staying in the shade in the middle of the day.

I'm 38 with blonde hair and blue eyes and I put the children's factor 50 on today in the UK!

My children are also fair and when it is hot in UK I go for fairly covering clothes plus hat plus factor 50 on exposed bits. I would deffo be going for full lotion in spain it's so easy to get burnt when you are out all day and in water etc.

In australia the thing used to be slip (on a t-shirt), slop (on sunscreen), slap (on a hat) and they know their stuff and with good reason.

Oh yes those all in 1 swimsuits with the hats with the flappy bit on the back of the neck are great.

50 and the sun suit

SPF 50, a sunsuit thing and hat. Sunburn is miserable.

\link{http://www.sun-togs.co.uk/baby/uv-swimwear.html\sun togs have masses of suits & hats & stuff}

Lion in the Sun is such a good brand name

Factor 50, applied regularly, with a good hat and keep shoulders covered.
Sunburn is horrible to deal with and it will only ruin their days.
keep in the shade as well so they dont get sunstroke

I've been using 50 on blue eyed, blonde haired DD (2) all this week in our heat wave, so I would do the same in Spain.

And agree about the hat, t-shirts and shade.

I'd say factor 50 & remember to reapply often especially after swimming.

I drove my DD mad with this - wouldn't let her in the pool until the cream had had chance to dry, made her come out the pool regularly to reapply & she was 11 or so at the time!

The different factors indicate how long you can stay in the sun before burning. So, if you burn after 5mins without lotion, you can be exposed to the sun for 50 times longer using factor 50, before you burn.

Theoretically then, if you use 30, its only 30 times longer. Get in the shade between 11 & 3 too.

I live in Australia but have bred an incredibly fair child, so on the beach he is in a long sleeved beach top, shorts, hat with flappy bit as well as factor 50.

When we're not on the beach he is in t shirt and shorts and factor 50 and always has a hat on.

So far he's not burned once in 2 years. When he was tiny we would take him out in the carrier in clothes and then a muslin draped over him. All you could see were his eyes

And keep drinking loads of water.