Choosing an Insect Repellent for Your Child

Warmer weather means more chances for kids to get outside to play, hike and enjoy the fresh air with family and friends. Warmer weather also means preventing insect bites.

Biting insects such as mosquitoes and biting flies can make children miserable. More worrisome is that bites from some insects can cause serious illnesses?.

Beyond the itch: illnesses carried by insects

Insect-transmitted illnesses include Lyme Disease, West Nile Disease, Zika, and others from mosquito and tick bites. And according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), insect-borne illnesses are on the rise.

One way to protect your child from biting insects is to use insect repellents. When there's a possibility of getting a serious illness, such as Lyme disease, transmitted by an insect bite, make sure you choose repellent that is effective – meaning that it works well. It's also important to know how to use repellants correctly and safely.

Interested in learning more? Continue reading how to choose an insect repellent for your child, written by Sophie J. Balk MD, FAAP here.

Medya Mansyone

Sawyer’s picaridin lotion lasts a long time, stores well in survival kits and cars, and doesn’t have the laundry-list poison control label like DEET sprays.

Sean Gold
Founder & Lead Writer

Medya Mansyone

Secure a small loop of cord to a trekking pole to create a convenient place to hang a water bladder and filter water.

Nathan Pipenberg
Ekriven

Medya Mansyone

It contains 20 percent picaridin, a powerful insect repellent that will make nights around the campfire much more enjoyable.

Liz Provencher
Freelane Writer