|
Insect Repellent Use and Safety in Children
All insect repellents including those combination products with sunscreen
should be used according to the labeled instructions. Insect
repellents containing DEET should not be used in children under 2
months of age. Oil of eucalyptus products should not be used in
children under 3 years of age. When applying insect repellents to
children, avoid applying the repellent to their hands, around their
eyes, or to any areas where there are cuts or irritated skin. When
using combination products with DEET and sunscreen, it may be
necessary to reapply a sunscreen but the combination product should
not be reapplied because
repeated application may increase the potential toxic effects. For
other combination products with non-DEET insect repellent, for
example IR3535, follow package directions as re-application of the
combination product may be allowed depending upon the particular
formulation. Apply repellents only to exposed skin. After returning
indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water, especially if using
repellents repeatedly in a day or on consecutive days.
Information about insect repellents can be
found at the following sites:
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates all pesticides and provides extensive
information about insect repellents:
- The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) offers
information about mosquito repellents:
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has information about the use of
mosquito repellents in children:
- The Medical Letter contains an article on
insect repellents:
 Back
to Top  Back to Natural Disaster Response
 PDF requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader
Date created: September 7, 2005; Last updated: August 28, 2006
|
