Safe Summer: Bugs

BUG SAFETY

Tips from The American Academy of Pediatrics

Don't use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child.

Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom.

Avoid dressing your child in clothing with bright colors or flowery prints.

To remove a visible stinger from skin, gently back it out by scraping it off horizontally with a credit card or your fingernail.

Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied.

Use insect repellents containing DEET when need to prevent insect related diseases such as ticks which can transmit Lyme Disease, and mosquitoes which can transmit West Nile Virus and other viruses.

The current CDC and AAP recommendation for children over 2 months of age is to use 10- 30 percent DEET. DEET should not be used on children under 2 months of age.

The effectiveness is similar for 10-30% DEET but the duration of effect varies. Ten percent DEET provides protection for about 2 hours -- 30% for about 5 hours -- choose the lowest concentration that will provide required length of coverage.

The concentration of DEET varies significantly from product to product, so read the label of any product you purchase. Children should wash off repellents when back indoors.

As an alternative to DEET, Picaridin has become available in the U.S. in concentrations of 5-10%