Keeping Bugs Away: 5 Things You Need To Know

The other day, as dusk fell on an afternoon outdoor party, my kids started swatting and itching. Oh, that’s right, I thought: it’s mosquito season. I remembered hearing about West Nile virus being found in some mosquitoes and kicked myself for not bringing bug spray. At the same party, a friend showed me a rash on her son’s leg. By the next day, it had turned into a classic Lyme disease rash. Definitely bug season. If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to get smart about preventing mosquito and tick bites. Here’s what you need to know: 1. The best protection against both mosquitoes and ticks is DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide). This stuff really works (the smell of it keeps the bugs away). The higher the percentage of DEET, the longer it works: 10 percent works for a couple of hours and 20 percent for about four hours. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, up to 30 percent is safe on kids older than 2 months (read the label to see how much DEET is in the product). 2. DEET has risks. The most common risk is skin irritation (breathing the stuff in isn’t so great either, so be sure to apply it in an open area and avoid the mouth and eyes), but there is also a (small) risk of effects on the brain, including seizures. DEET is still your best bet if you are going to be somewhere with lots of ticks, or if health officials are warning about diseases in mosquitoes. Be sure to apply it carefully, don’t put it on skin that’s cut or scraped and use the ...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: All posts Claire McCarthy, MD Health & wellness Seasonal health bug spray insect repellent is it safe to use bug spray on my kids? protecting against insects Source Type: news