bug spray?

mrs.wildman

this might be a dumb question - can you put bug spray on wee kiddos? dd still loves to eat her hands, so i'd of course have to avoid that and shield her face, but can I use it everywhere else? we finally cleaned up our backyard a bit and i'd like to spend more time out there, but there are danged skeeters everywhere and dd (like her mama) attracts them.

mlf625

Rumor has it that Avon Skin So Soft keeps mosquitos away.  I'm thinking I might try that on the kids this summer.  Still not all natural, but better than the scary bug sprays.

We did put some spray on DS at the lake last summer, but only on his clothes (long pants and a sweatshirt). 

thethomps

Good question!  Skin So Soft never worked for me, either.  (Mosquitoes loooooove me, for some reason.)  I read once that taking garlic supplements will keep mosquitoes away but it probably keeps everyone else away, too. 

Chandley

This may sound really really strange, but my pedi (as in when I was a kid) said that eating a lot of bananas will attract mosquitoes. Something in bananas comes out of your pores and smells good to the bugs.

I used to be eaten alive by stupid mosquitoes and once my mom followed this weird sounding advice it helped stop a lot of the bites.

I know this sounds really strange, but it really has worked... at least for me and a few other people who have tried it that I know of...

 

ETA: Snopes is saying that this is false. Maybe its a coincidence, but I do notice less bites. Whatevers. 

MrsMillerTime

We usually just spray a perimeter *around* DD.  Not quite as effective of applying spray directly on her, but it is better than nothing.

jml5q

i thought i'd read somewhere that DEET products were "safe" for older infants. i put it in quotes because it's still a chemical, but the chemical is safer than some diseases and such that insects carry.

We do use bug spray on DD. we use it sparingly on her exposed skin and try to get most of it just on her clothes.

so i googled deet and it seems that the AAP recommends DEET for kiddos over 2 months old. the bump actually has an article on it.

keado

We also like Bite Blocker.  Going to have to try the garlic supplements.

Temp13436125005166

I won't use DEET and I won't put it on my kids.  We use a natural bug spray made by a local company, Texas Medicinals. I think they carry it locally at WF... but I can't remember where I got mine

https://www.texasmedicinals.com/default.php?c=display_products&cat=Herbs%20for%20Children&x=cat4 

(scroll down to see it)

Chandley

Just found this: https://pediatrics.about.com/od/summersafety/a/0707_insect_rep.htm

 

DEET-Free Insect Repellents

Although insect repellents with DEET work great and are thought to be safe to use on children, there are still many parents who prefer DEET-free insect repellents. Many older reports associate DEET with possible toxic side effects, including seizures. DEET has been found to be safe to use, though, even on young children. Still, a DEET-free insect repellent is fine to use if you prefer it and it works for your child.

Popular insect repellents that are DEET-free include:

• Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard Insect Repellent
• OFF! Botanicals Plant Based Insect Repellent (oil of lemon eucalyptus)
• Cutter Advanced Insect Repellent (Picaridin)
• Bull Frog Mosquito Coast
• Burt's Bees Herbal Insect Repellent (Lemongrass Oil, Citronella Oil, Rosemary Oil)
• California Baby Bug Repellent Spray with Citronella
• Repel Plant Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent

Remember that, according their labels, products with oil of lemon eucalyptus (e.g. OFF! Botanicals) should not be used on children under age three.

Picaridin is another chemical ingredient found in repellents and is not a natural product. It is thought to be as effective as DEET and can be another option for parents looking for an alternative to DEET to consider.

What You Need To Know

• The AAP recommends that parents should not reapply insect repellents with DEET more than once a day.
  
  
• You should usually avoid combination products with a sunscreen and insect repellent, such as Coppertone Bug and Sun and Bull Frog Mosquito Coast. The main problem with them is that sunscreens should be reapplied every few hours, while insect repellents should not. They may be a good option if you are sure that you will only be out for a few hours and you want the convenience of a single product, however.
  
  
• To be safe, only apply insect repellents to exposed skin. Do not apply it under clothing, on a child's hands, near the mouth or eyes, or over cuts and irritated skin. You can even apply the insect repellent to your hands first and then rub it on your child to avoid over-application.
  
  
• Wash off insect repellents once your child comes inside and will no longer be exposed to mosquitoes.

 

ssinca

I bought this contraption at academy last summer because mosquitoes eat me alive and I was tired of having to use nasty bug spray.  it works for me, but probably wouldn't work if your LO is say running around a big backyard or something. 

https://www.academy.com/index.php?page=content&target=products/outdoors/camping/insect&start=0&selectedSKU=0248-40214-0001 

mrs.wildman

Thanks for all of the feedback and info. I'm going to try some of e alternative options before I resort to anything with deet. I hate putting that on myself, so I dread the thought of spraying it on DD unless absolutely necessary. That said, my yard has mosquitos of rainforest proportions, so we may have to resort to that if we want to play outside in the summer.