ADVERTISEMENT DEET-Based Repellents
Recommended by Healthcare Professionals and Other Experts to Help Protect Your Child from Mosquito and Tick Bites by Susan Little
With the spread of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases like West Nile virus and Lyme disease, it’s important,
no
One of the species of mosquitoes that carries West Nile virus
matter where you live, to be proactive in preventing bites. Follow Fight the Bite advice from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Dress to avoid bites, use a repellent registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), drain standing water and avoid tick habitats, and stay inside at dawn and dusk (prime time for mosquitoes). Which repellent should you use? For mosquitoes, choose one with a concentration from 5-30%. The higher concentration doesn’t repel better—it repels longer. A 5% product lasts about 60 minutes, while a 30% will last 4-5 hours. Use the one that best matches the length of time you’re outside. Ticks are another matter—use a minimum 20% DEET- based product on exposed skin and on clothing. Lower concentrations don’t work for ticks.
WHAT EXPERTS SAY
There are urban legends about repellents—and they are just that—legends. We’ve used DEET-based repellents in our family for years—first with our children and now with our six grandchildren. But, don’t rely just on our experience, base your decision on sound science. First, DEET-based products don’t kill ticks or mosquitoes—they simply repel them. They have been the “gold standard” worldwide for more than 50 years, with an impressive track record for both safety and efficacy. In fact, products containing up to 30% DEET can be used on children over two months of age, according to guidance from American Academy of Pediatrics issued in 2003. (For international travel where malaria and yellow fever are common, AAP notes higher concentrations can be used.)
In addition to real-time experience by millions of people every year for half a century, these products
also undergo exhaustive reviews for safety and efficacy as part of the EPA registration process. All of this means just one thing—they can be used with confidence when applied according to label directions. The risks of contracting a life-altering, sometimes life- threatening, mosquito- or tick-borne disease is far greater than risk associated with the proper use of an EPA-registered repellent product. Just ask any parent whose child has contracted West Nile virus or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Think “natural” is a better solution? Most experts concur that “natural” products work about 20 minutes for mosquitoes and not at all for ticks. They recommend using a repellent that carries an EPA registration.
APPLY REPELLENT CORRECTLY Read and follow label directions. Apply the product sparingly to exposed skin and smooth it on to get even coverage. For young children, apply repellent on your hands and then smooth it on your child’s exposed skin.
BITES AND TREATMENT Always do tick checks after time spent outdoors.
Bathing immediately
helps wash off unattached ticks. Remove attached ticks promptly and treat bites with an antiseptic. If rashes or flu-like symptoms occur, especially after tick bites, seek medical attention immediately—some tick-borne diseases can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
The Black- Legged Tick, a carrier of
Lyme Disease
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Contact us at 888-NO-BITES or visit www
.deetonline.org.
The Deet Education Program operates under the auspices of the Consumer Specialty Products
Washington, D.C., where Susan Little serves
as the Executive Director of the Product Ingredient Review Program when she is not doting over her grandchildren.
Association,
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