On The Hunt For The Safest Bug Spray For Kids
What is scarier: Lyme disease or West Nile Virus from a mosquito bite, or the chemicals in the bug spray to avoid the bite?
“This is a hard issue,” says Sonya Lunder, MPH, a senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group in Washington D.C. “It’s one that I’ve gone through many times before, both as an expert in toxins and as a parent.”
After going back and forth for a while about this, I have decided that the potentially harmful ingredients in most insect repellents are not going on Isaac’s soft toddler skin.
Do these look familiar?
The usual suspects contain either DEET or Picardin, and although the EPA has deemed them safe as long as used as directed, I still am uneasy about their effects, especially on a small child every day over the summer.
DEET is a neurotoxin, folks, as in it can effect the nervous system and also has an adverse effect on synthetic fabrics and plastics. Hmm…no thanks.
I’m still researching Picardin, but until I know more it’s not happening either.
FYI: The CDC (Center for Disease Control) still recommends DEET and Picaridin for protection against West Nile Virus, and the AAP (American Association of Pediatrics) states that insect repellents with DEET are safe to use on children as young as two months old, so again, I may be overreacting, but to each their own, right? (:
However, I am not choosing to disregard all the dangers that are associated with possible disease transmission and basic annoyances as big red itchy bumps either.
Enter the natural bug spray!
Some natural bug spray alternatives are:
- soy-based products
- oil of lemon eucalyptus (synthetic form called PMD)
- citronella, peppermint, lemon, rosemary, and other plant-based oils
Now just because these products are plant-based does not mean they are inherently safe either.
Some of the cons with using these more natural options are they don’t last as long as chemical repellants, some supposedly have an unpleasant smell (as opposed to the astringent smell of DEET and the odorless Picardin), and the oil of lemon eucalyptus is hazardous to young children under 3 if ingested or rubbed in eyes.
So…no oil of lemon eucalyptus but I am trying a few other botanical products, like Burt’s Bees, and Bite Blocker since they have no health risks. I’ll let you guys know what I find out!
Oh, and sadly the local crowd-pleaser, “Skin So Soft” from Avon, was not very effective on the killer mosquitoes up North, sorry!
Anyone else freaked out by DEET like me, or am I just paranoid? If you have any concerns, check your bug spray label and see what’s in there.
