Mosquitoes carry a number of serious illnesses that can affect your children including West Nile virus, and St. Louis encephalitis. Mosquito bites can also make your children itchy and uncomfortable. One of the best ways to avoid the complications that come with mosquito bites is to help your children to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes completely.

Dress Your Children to Protect Them

Mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors, so you should dress your children in light colored clothes. Loose fitting clothing with long sleeves and pants can reduce the number of mosquito bites that your children receive. There is the option to treat the clothing with an insect repellent or to buy clothing that is already treated. This option is good if you know you are going into an area that is heavily populated with mosquitoes like on a camping trip, but it may not be practical for every day clothing and use.

Use Mosquito Repellent

An important step is to use an effective mosquito repellent on your children. There are a number of different options that you can use. DEET is very effective and will work against ticks as well. Picaridin is another very effective option. It is safe to begin using these repellents on your babies as soon as they are two months old. The dangers of mosquito borne illnesses can outweigh any worry you have about using the repellents on your children. For babies in strollers or baby carriers, you can use a mosquito net when you are outside to keep them outside of your home.

Avoid Peak Times

Mosquitoes tend to be more active in the early morning just after dawn and in the early evening at dusk. This is also a time when many people spend times outside because it is a bit cooler than during other times of the day. If you stay in during these hours you can reduce the number of mosquito bites. If you need to be outside during this time, you need to be sure to use insect repellent and to reapply it as needed for the protection.

Address Your Backyard

One of the most common areas to be bitten is in your backyard. You can address standing water in your backyard and set up a fan to reduce the number of mosquitoes that can land, but the most effective way to do that is to have your yard professionally treated for mosquitoes. This will protect your yard and home from mosquitoes and it means that you do not have to worry about constantly applying mosquito repellent every time you send your children out to play.

Mosquitoes are a serious problem in the Raleigh area during the spring and summer months. It is important to protect yourself from their bites, and the best way to do this is to use an effective form of mosquito repellent. There are a number of different products on the market, but the key is to look for an active ingredient that is good at repelling mosquitoes.

DEET

The CDC recommends products that use DEET as the active ingredient. It is effective at repelling both mosquitoes and ticks. Products with DEET will have different levels of concentration in the product. If you are applying the product to children, you will want to choose one that is less than 30% DEET, but more than 10% DEET. If you are going into the woods in a heavily infested mosquito or tick area there are options that you can choose that are higher. OFF! is one product that is well-known that has DEET.

Picardin

Picardin is a relatively new product that has been proven at effectively repelling mosquitoes. Products may contain about 20%. It is FDA approved, and it has been shown to be effective for up to 8 hours after the initial application. This does not work as well on ticks, and so it should not be worn when going into an area with ticks and mosquitoes. This can be a lotion or a spray. One well-known product is the SSS Picardin spray sold by Avon.

Essential Oil Extracts

Some people swear by using a combination of essential oils to ward off mosquitoes. There are a number of different options including lemongrass, peppermint and cedarwood. Essential oils do not have the same testing done about their effectiveness  and may not last as long.

Protecting Yourself from Mosquitoes

In addition to using an effective mosquito repellent, you can dress in light colored clothing and long sleeves and pants to reduce the chances of being bitten. You may want to have a barrier spray applied to your yard, so that you do not need to worry about mosquitoes when spending time outside at home. Mosquitoes are the most active at dawn and dusk and staying in during those times can also reduce the chances of being bitten.

Read How Do I Keep Mosquitoes Out of My Home?

There are a few lucky people that are rarely bitten by mosquitoes. Most people have to deal with mosquito bites, and then there are the unlucky people who seem to attract mosquitoes more than anyone else. There are certain things that make you more attractive to mosquitoes.

Blood Type

Mosquitoes are more attracted to people who have O blood. This means that you are more prone to mosquito bites than people who have the other blood types. There is not anything you can do to change this, but it is a determining factor in attracting mosquitoes.

Higher Resting Metabolic Rate

People with a higher resting metabolic rate tend to attract more mosquitoes. Pregnant women and people who are overweight tend to have a higher resting metabolic rate. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can help you lower your metabolic rate, but it can take time to do this.

Amount of Lactic Acid You Emit

Different people naturally produce different amounts of lactic acid which attracts mosquitoes. If you notice that you seem to end up with more mosquito bites, you may naturally produce more lactic acid. Again, this is ruled by your genetic makeup and there is not a lot that you can do to change it.

Dark Clothing

One thing that you can control is that mosquitoes are more attracted to people who wear dark clothing. If you know that you will be spending a lot of time outside, you may want to opt for lighter colored clothing. This may make a bit of a difference.

Stop Mosquito Bites

The most effective way you can stop mosquito bites is to use insect repellents, especially those that contain DEET. You can also treat your yard to stop mosquitoes from biting you while at home. In fact, if you are one of those unlucky people that seems to attract mosquitoes, treating your yard for mosquitoes may give you the opportunity to enjoy time outdoors again.

Learn 10 Facts About Mosquitoes

There is no denying how miserable a mosquito bite can make you. The itching can drive you crazy and it seems like anytime you get a new bite, they all start itching again. Scratching the bite can give you scars. It is important to stop yourself from scratching. There can be complications if you scratch your bug bite and it becomes infected. If you see signs of redness, streaking, swelling or the area is hot to the touch, you need to see a doctor immediately. There are steps you can take to relieve the itchiness and prevent scarring.

1. Over the Counter Medications

There are a number of ways that you can stop the itchiness with over-the-counter medications. You can take an antihistamine like Benadryl or another allergy medicine to reduce the itchiness. Another option is to apply calamine lotion or use a topical cream or numbing agent like lidocaine. Another option is to use a mild over-the-counter corticosteroid cream.

2. Oatmeal Baths

Oatmeal baths are a great way to relieve itchiness. This is a good option if you have several mosquito bites. You will need to purchase colloidal oatmeal and add it to your bath water. Oatmeal baths can help with a variety of skin issues including dry skin and eczema. This may provide temporary relief of your itching.

3. Honey

Honey is a traditional treatment. It has healing powers that can help with inflammation and itchiness. Using honey is as easy as applying it to the itchy area. This method usually works best if you are planning on staying at home with it on. Honey will attract other insects, and so it is important to completely wash it off before you go outside again.

4. Tea Bags

You can quickly relieve the itching by applying tea bags to the bite. You will need to boil the tea bag and then refrigerate it until it is cold. This is a great solution that is easy to implement. The cold tea bag can also help to deal with any swelling associated with the bug bite.

5. Cover It Up

Applying a bandage on the bug bite will help you to stop scratching. While this may not immediately stop the itching, it can prevent you from scratching the bite open, which can lead to infection. This is a great solution for a young child who may not realize they should not be scratching. Kids love bandages and so it is a great idea to have several fun ones on hand to deal with it.

Stop Bites Before You Get Them

The best way to stop itching from mosquito bites is to avoid being bitten altogether. DEET is an effective mosquito repellent. You may also try citronella candles or bug lights to keep mosquitoes away. However, if you truly want to stop getting bitten by mosquitoes, you should have your yard professionally treated for mosquitoes. The professionals at Mosquito Tek can help you stop worrying about mosquitoes in your yard or your home. Contact Mosquito Tek today to learn more.  

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