Having the right repellents is healthy, especially when children are around. The weather is getting hotter now, which means people are starting to engage in outdoor activities. Children need extra protection from biting insects like mosquitoes. Bites can make them irritable and even sick. That is why you need to find the right repellents for children.
Choose Effective and Safe Repellents
Use the right repellents registered by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). The active ingredients in these products are in the same league as the following:
1. Oil of lemon eucalyptus
Repellents with this active ingredient must be EPA-registered.
2. DEET
Products with this ingredient are effective and safe. The length of the product’s effectiveness depends on the concentration of DEET. Research shows that in high concentrations, DEET causes skin rashes. However, this is a rare event. A young child’s skin differs from an adult’s or an older child’s. It is ideal to use this product in small amounts.
3. Picaridin
Products with this ingredient also protect people from mosquito bites like DEET does. Picaridin’s length of protection depends on its concentration.
Choose the Right Repellents that Prevent Bites
Studies reveal that the number of cases of mosquito bites is increasing because of climate change. Using the right repellents for kids can protect them well from mosquito bites. In doing so, it is important to follow instructions on how to use them. Research shows that most repellents do not kill mosquitoes and other biting insects. Note that the right repellents for children below three years of age are those that do not contain para-menthane-diol (PMD) or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
How to Apply Repellents on Kids
The following are effective tips for applying mosquito repellents on children:
- Do not apply the right repellents on broken or injured skin.
- Read the product labels and follow the precautions and directions.
- Select repellents in the form of unpressurized sprays, sticks, or lotions.
- Use enough repellent and never apply excessively.
- Apply on exposed skin and outside the child’s clothes, and not under the clothes.
- Choose an open area when spraying repellents.
- Once the child goes indoors, make sure to wash the child’s skin with clean water and soap. Also, wash the child’s clothes.
- Cover the playpen and strollers with mosquito nets.
- Keep these products out of reach of pets or children to reduce the risk of ingesting them.
- Assist children in applying the right repellents. Keep an eye on older kids as well when they use these products.
- Refrain from putting repellents on a child’s hands. They might ingest it or rub the product in the eyes.
- Keep repellent candles away if the child has breathing issues.
Preventing Bites
The most effective way to prevent mosquito bites aside from using the right repellents is preventing mosquitoes from biting you. Below are some pointers for doing so:
- Stay away from or clear stagnant water.
- Change the water in your troughs or bird baths at least once each week.
- Cover your water storage containers.
- Pour out stagnant water from vessels like old pots.
- Cover and seal septic tanks.
- Remove thick vegetation from ponds.
Choosing the right repellents and using them right can protect your children from mosquito bites. It can also keep mosquito-borne diseases away. Keeping these insects away from kids will allow them to enjoy outdoor activities while staying safe and healthy.