Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We live in Mosquito-ville, and have tried many varied repellants, sadly none really seem to do the job as well as DEET. We use a minimum of 15% DEET, and make sure everyone showers well after using it. I have started using the OFF personal fans recently, and they really do work. Obviously they are not appropriate for kids.
We use the sunscreen/repellent spray as well and it works well for everyone but my wife and DD1, who seem to not only be very sensitive to the bites (HUGE red welts) they also seem to attract mosquitos like a magnet. My wife decided to try some of the patches they sell now and found that the patch in combination with the spray worked really well.
She used the Skeet-X ones, but there are many on the market. They are non-chemical and safe for all ages. May be worth a try.
I buy the sunscreen/bug repellant from Avon. I put it on my 11 month old.
Our office does not recommend the comination sunscreen/bug repellent products, as the ss has to be applied frequently, and can result in too much bug repellent being applied. I forget the % we say is OK, I'm not at work right now to look it up.
Just remember the major difference between different concentrations of DEET is how long they remain effective. Frequent reapplication is not recommended.
DEET should not be used in a product that combines the repellent with a sunscreen. Sunscreens often are applied repeatedly because they can be washed off. DEET is not water-soluble and will last up to 8 hours. Repeated application may increase the potential toxic effects of DEET.
DEET is approved for use on children with no age restriction. There is no restriction on the percentage of DEET in the product for use on children, since data do not show any difference in effects between young animals and adult animals in tests done for product registration. There also are no data showing incidents that would lead EPA to believe there is a need to restrict the use of DEET. Consumers are always advised to read and follow label directions in using any pesticide product, including insect repellents.
My opinion is the skin will absorb the harmful chemicals and who knows what the long term effect really is. Carcinogens in a small child would be worse than in an adult and I won't use pesticides on my own body, and won't put them on a child.
My kids would eat stalks of garlic and onion and I don't think the mosquitoes liked how they smelled. And I would have a bug zapper in the yard to keep the mosquitos down and of course plenty of well-fed toads, bats, and birds help.
Wow! Cav Scout, my toddler LOVES, LOVES, LOVES bananas. Thanks, good to know! I hardly eat them but they still love to bite me. They don't bite my husband AT ALL. No-see-ums love me too. Those bites are worse than mosquito bites for me. I wonder why they love my blood... Wonder what other foods attract them.
It really doesn't help that we live right next to a preserve (mosquitos, toads, lizards, snakes, all sorts of weird bugs, spiders, etc.). It's like living in the middle of the jungle.
Yes...this works....also when I was younger, us kids used to rub mint leaves we'd crushed onto our skin, and then hang some outside our tent....that also seemed to work....Cav Scout wife is also right....mosquitos love people who eat bananas......a way back I was a tree planter for a while and eating bananas was a definate no no.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
