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Insect Repellent Safety Insect repellents can help reduce exposure to mosquito bites that may carry viruses such as West Nile virus that can cause serious illness.
Many of the mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus bite between dusk and dawn. If you are outdoors around these times of the day, it is especially important to apply repellent. Remember, sweating, perspiration or getting wet may mean that you need to re-apply repellent more frequently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that repellents containing DEET or picaridin (KBR 3023) typically provide longer-lasting protection than the other products and oil of lemon eucalyptus provides longer lasting protection than other plant-based repellents. Since it is the most widely available repellent, many people ask about the use of products containing DEET on children. No definitive studies exist in the scientific literature about what concentration of DEET is safe for children. No serious illness has been linked to the use of DEET in children when used according to manufacturer’s recommendations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Environmental Health has updated their recommendation for use of DEET products on children in 2003, citing: "Insect repellents containing DEET with a concentration of 10% appear to be as safe as products with a concentration of 30% when used according to the directions on the product labels." AAP recommends that repellents with DEET should not be used on infants less than 2 months old.
When picking an insect repellent for your family, it can help to understand what the concentration of DEET actually means.
The CDC states that "a higher concentration of DEET in a repellent does not mean that your protection is better - just that it will last longer."
And they give examples of a repellent with 20% DEET lasting 4 hours and one with 6.65% DEET only lasting 2 hours; keeping in mind that actual protection will vary widely based on conditions such as temperature, perspiration, and water exposure.
So if you can regularly reapply the insect repellent when you are out for long periods of time, or if your child will only be outside for a few hours, a repellent with 10% or less DEET should be enough.
AAP has not yet issued specific recommendations or opinion concerning the use of picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus for children. According to the label, oil of lemon eucalyptus products should NOT be used on dhildren under 3 years of age. As of April 2007, the EPA officially approved BioUD™ as a safe active ingredient in insect repellent for direct skin application with no child safety restrictions. The product that contains BioUD™ is called Bite Blocker®. In research, BioUD™ demonstrated 100 percent repellency against mosquitoes up to three hours after application and 99 percent repellent up to 4.5 hours in forest and marsh conditions.
Here are some tips on the safe use of insect repellents on your kids:
Use a DEET or picaridin-based repellent with less than 10% of the active ingredient on children.
Apply repellents only to exposed skin and/or clothing (as directed on the product label). Do not use under clothing. Use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing.
Never use repellents over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.
Do not apply to eyes and mouth, and apply sparingly around ears.
When using sprays do not spray directly onto face; spray on hands first and then apply to face.
Do not allow children to handle the products, and do not apply to children’s hands. When using on children, apply to your own hands and then put it on the child.
Do not spray in enclosed areas. Best to apply it outside of the home.
Avoid breathing a repellent spray, and do not use it near food.
Heavy application and saturation is generally unnecessary for effectiveness; if biting insects do not respond to a thin film of repellent, then apply a bit more.
After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water or bathe. This is particularly important when repellents are used repeatedly in a day or on consecutive days. Also, wash treated clothing before wearing it again.
If you suspect that you or your child are reacting to an insect repellent, discontinue use, wash treated skin, and then call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
If I am pregnant or breastfeeding, should I use repellent?On rare occasions, West Nile virus can be passed from a mother to her fetus during pregnancy. Women who are pregnant should take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Other than the routine precautions noted earlier, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not recommend any additional precautions for using registered repellents on pregnant or lactating women. Pregnant women who want to minimize the use of repellents on their skin should avoid mosquito habitats, and wear clothing that also covers arms and legs. Nursing mothers who apply repellent should wash all repellents off their hands and areas of the breast with soap and water before breastfeeding their children.
Can I use an insect repellent and a product containing sunscreen at the same time on my child? Yes. People can, and should, use both a sunscreen and an insect repellent when they are outdoors. Follow the instructions on the package for proper application of each product. In general, the recommendation is to apply sunscreen first, followed by repellent. However, the use of combination products is not recommended because the sunscreen needs to be reapplied after swimming, whereas the mosquito repellent generally does not need to be reapplied.
Any other ways to avoid mosquitoe bites? It may be possible to reduce the number of mosquitoes in the area by getting rid of containers with standing water that provide breeding places for mosquitoes.
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