I have asked that same question to a pharamacist I was told around six months should be fine. So I started around 51/2 months. And my five children have done just fine at that age.

Experts say not to apply sunscreen until at least 12 mo - and many different brands say until 3 years. Perhaps the chemicals they contain can damage babies' developing skin. Still, babies are to be kept out of direct sunlight until at least 12 mo. anyway, so perhaps applying sunscreen would give parents a false sense of security in leaving their tots out in the sun. Research in skin cancer has shown that any child who suffers a sunburn before the age of 3 dramatically increases his or her chance of developing the disease later in life. I found several sun hats that offered UVA/UVB protection. Also, for older babies, they make little full body swimsuits that do the same. My little red head is extremely fair, and also has eczema, and we had a lot of difficulty finding a suntan lotion that didn't cause a rash. After trying all of the child brands, we finally used ours (Coppertone Oil-Free, spf 30), and this did the trick. ***As a side note, be careful with the coloured varieties (goes on purple so you can see where they are applied). They WILL stain all clothing they contact.

Until your baby is able to get around a bit on his/her own, just arrange to keep him/her shaded. Then use a childrens' sunscreen. I'm for avoiding and delaying chemical exposure as much as possible.

Most sunscreens warn that they are not to be used on children under 1 year of age. The best remedy is hats and light clothing. If you are at a beach put your baby under an umbrella or use the hood on your baby carrier. If you absolutely must use sunscreen because you cannot avoid being in the sun, use one that is specifically made for babys/kids. It will be non-toxic, so if baby happens to put fingers in his mouth that have sunscreen on them, he won't get sick or poisoned.

A new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on the dangers of sun exposure says that it may be safe to use sunscreen on infants younger than 6 months of age when adequate clothing and shade are not available. Previously, the use of sunscreen on infants younger than 6 months old was not advised by the AAP. However, there is no evidence that using sunscreen on small areas of a baby's skin causes harm. Avoiding sun exposure and dressing infants in lightweight long pants and long-sleeved shirts are still the top recommendations from the AAP to prevent sunburn. However when adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of suncreen to small areas, such as the infant's face and the back of the hands. In addition to possible sunburn, infants and children may be at increased risk for eye injury from the sun. The AAP says children, including infants, should wear hats with a brim and sunglasses designed to block at least 99 percent of the sun's rays. The new policy, published in the August issue of Pediatrics, also suggests pediatricians incorporate sun protection recommendations into well child visits and encourage schools to adopt sun safety practices and education. http://www.aap.org/advocacy/archives/augsun.htm http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bsafety/0,,3q6f,00.html http://www.yourbabytoday.com/features/sunblock/index.html

Try to keep a baby in the shade but even so some form of protective cover on delicate skin would seem necessary. When a child is older than about six months sunscreens are imperative as they will kick off even light coverings. Sun damage will cause a baby much more pain both now and in later life than the ingredients of a baby sunscreen.

i think theyre too young for sunscreen