‍

What You Need to Know About Insect Repellent for Kids

Annoyed by bug bites but worried about chemicals? Here's how to protect children from ticks and mosquitoes.

Applying insect repellents whenever you might cross paths with mosquitoes or ticks is one of the best ways to protect yourself from the bites of these disease-transmitting bugs. But if you have kids, you may also be worried about the risks associated with exposure to the chemicals in insect repellents, such as deet.

The good news: Experts say that insect repellents registered with the Environmental Protection Agency—including those containing deet—pose little hazard when used appropriately.

“To the best of our knowledge, they are effective,” says Lisa Asta, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics and a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. “They are safe when used as directed.”

Some mosquito- and tick-borne illnesses, however, can make kids (and adults) quite sick. Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne disease in the U.S., can cause fever, rash, severe headache, neck stiffness, and joint pain. Other bug-borne diseases, such as West Nile virus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, can be fatal.

So how to keep the bugs away from your kids? Based on Consumer Reports’ insect repellent testing and other research, here's what you need to know about the most effective products. Find the complete article written by Catherine Roberts here: https://www.consumerreports.org/insect-repellent/insect-repellent-for-kids/‍