Mosquito season is near! My daughter called me the other day to inquire about the amount of DEET to apply to her six month old daughter, Madison. Her question made me think about all the rain we've had this spring and the mosquitos it may bring this summer.

Realizing I don't know everything about everything, I went to our nurses on 454-KIDS to request the latest information on DEET for my daughter. I wanted to share what I found out.

1. Avoid buying products that contain a combination of DEET and sunscreen. The reason behind this recommendation is that sunscreen needs to be reapplied, but DEET is water soluble. Repeated applications of DEET as you reapply sunscreen could be potentially toxic.

2. DEET is not recommended for infants under two months of age. After two months of age, DEET 10% may be used. Another option is Picaridin. For children over three years of age, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus may be used.

3. All DEET products should be applied to exposed areas of skin, but not on the face. Also, avoid application to rashes or cuts.

4. Be sure your child takes a bath before bedtime to wash off DEET or alternate repellent.

Here's a fun fact: Mosquitoes will not fly more than two miles from their home. It would do us all well to enpty containers that have standing water in them. With the rain we're having this spring, we might be emptying containers frequently! Mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in standing water.

Once the nurses on 454-KIDS armed me with this reliable information from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control, I called my daughter and told her more than she ever thought she wanted to know! Mothers tend to do that.

Since we're probably in for a battle with mosquitos this summer, I thought you'd appreciate this information, too. ¶ 10:00 AM 0 comments