Mosquitoes use sight, smell and heat to locate their victims.
People often look forward to camping, swimming and picnicking during the summer months. But for infants, outdoor activities can carry hidden dangers. In July 2010, a Florida infant died of Eastern equine encephalitis, a rare but deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes transmit other dangerous diseases, such as West Nile virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. Even if a mosquito bite doesn't make an infant ill, the itching may leave him very uncomfortable. If your baby could be exposed to mosquitoes, adopting simple preventative measures can help protect him from being bitten.
Instructions
1. Reduce the number of mosquitoes around your house. Get rid of standing water in puddles, fountains and buckets, since these can attract mosquitoes. Fix broken doors or windows that could allow mosquitoes entry into your home.
2. Avoid going outdoors between dusk and dawn, the time when mosquitoes are most active. If you see lots of mosquitoes, take your baby back inside.
3. Place mosquito netting over your infant's carrier and dress her in shirts with long sleeves and long pants. Preventing the mosquitoes from reaching your baby helps protect her.
4. Use a mosquito repellent containing DEET -- the most effective product for fending off mosquitoes -- on infants over 2 months old. Products containing DEET in concentrations from 10 to 30 percent are considered safe for children. Greater concentrations of DEET don't increase the effectiveness of the repellent, but they do help it last longer. Choose the right concentration based on how much time your infant will be outdoors, since mosquito repellent should only be applied once a day. DEET concentrations of 10 percent remain effective for about two hours, while a concentration of 24 percent will last about five hours.
5. Apply a light covering of mosquito repellent on your 2-month or older infant. Greater amounts of repellent don't increase the product's effectiveness. Put a small amount of the product on your hand and then rub it onto exposed areas of your baby's skin.
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