Mosquitoes carrying the Zika-virus have spread across the Caribbean, making a good bug spray essential for many young families that travel. A Zika infection during pregnancy can cause severe birth defects, but just as troubling is the fact that there is no long-term information about how Zika impacts small children who contract the disease after birth.

We were surprised to learn that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using bug sprays with "DEET" as their active ingredient. Even more surprising is that the CDC says that children under 3 years old shouldn't use natural mosquito repellents that contain essential oils like lemon or eucalyptus. On the other hand, DEET sprays are safe and effective for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as for babies older than 2 months.

The amount of time that a DEET repellent remains effective depends on the percentage of DEET that the product contains. A concentration of 10% or less will last no more than 2 hours, but protection plateaus at around a 50% concentration. The CDC recommends using products with at least a 20% concentration (to ward off ticks), so we settled on 25% for our family.

There are DEET wipes and lotions available to help prevent children from inhaling a spray, but parents can also spray a mist into their hands, then apply it like a lotion. If you're using bug spray and sunscreen together, put your sunscreen on first. (Here is a guide to the best sunscreens for families.)

We found 77 bug repellents that contain 25% DEET and are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Below are the ones that are: