Safest Bug Sprays for Your Kids: Protect Against West Nile and More

How to Protect Against West Nile

Safest Bug Sprays for Your Kids: Protect Against West Nile and More West Nile Virus (WNV) is a potentially serious illness that is spread through mosquitoes, and is a particular threat during the summer and fall months in North America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends using insect repellents approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help keep mosquitoes at bay and to prevent the spread of this illness. But can you use them safely on your kids?

The EPA has identified four EPA-registered products that provide enough protection to help prevent bites from WNV-carrying insects, and it deems each of these ingredients safe for children. The higher the concentration of an active ingredient, the longer the protection lasts. However, the CDC has found that concentrations higher than 30 percent do not offer a marked increase in protection time, and lower concentrations are typically safer for kids.

EPA-approved active ingredientsWhen purchasing insect repellent, look for the one of the following ingredients:

DEET (Chemical Name: N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or N,N-diethly-3-methyl-benzamide)

Pros:

  • Considered by the EPA as the most effective, broad-spectrum repellent against mosquitoes and ticks.
  • Concentrations of 10 to 30 percent are approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as safe for children over two months of age when used according to the directions on the label.
  • Long lasting. Higher concentrations can last up to 8 hours.
Cons:
  • "Conventional" repellent. Not derived from natural ingredients.
  • Chemical can be toxic when absorbed by the skin at concentrations higher than 50 percent.
  • Odor may be unpleasant to some.
  • Can damage some synthetic and plastic materials.

Picaridin (Chemical Name: 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperidinecarboxylic acid 1-methylpropyl ester)

Pros:

  • Offers similar protection to that of DEET, according to the EPA.
  • Long lasting. Higher concentrations can last up to 8 hours.
  • Odor isn't as strong as products containing DEET.
  • Causes no adverse effects on plastic and synthetic materials.
Cons:
  • "Conventional" repellent. Not derived from natural ingredients.
  • Not labeled for use against ticks.

Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or PMD, which is the synthesized version of oil of eucalyptus.

Pros:

  • "Biopesticide" derived from natural ingredients.
  • Long lasting. Some products protect for up to 6 hours.
Cons:
  • Should not be used on children under 3 years of age.
  • Some products may not protect against ticks.

IR3535 (Chemical Name: 3-[N-Butyl-N-acetyl]-aminopropionic acid, ethyl ester)

Pros:

  • "Biopesticide" derived from natural ingredients.
Cons:
  • Strong eye irritant. Label recommends adults apply spray to children under 10 years of age.
  • Low protection time ranging from 0 to 3 hours.

Going the natural routeCitronella and essential oils like soybean, geranium, peppermint, and catnip are all used as natural insect repellents. The Environmental Working Group offers a listing of the best-rated options, but it's important to note that these ingredients are not registered by the EPA as effective against guarding against bites. Additionally, these ingredients offer markedly less protection time than those registered by the EPA.

How to Safely Use Bug Spray on Children
All insect repellents must state any age restrictions directly on the label. If there is no restriction listed, the EPA does not require one for that product. The EPA recommends using a concentration that has a protection time in line with how long you will be exposed.

Regardless of concentration, the CDC recommends reapplying if you find your child getting bitten by insects, even if it's before the window of protection time has elapsed.

Kids Health from the Nemours Foundation offers some tips to safely apply bug repellent on kids:

  • DEET can be used on exposed skin, clothing, socks, and shoes, but should not be used on the face, or under clothing.
  • Apply repellent to exposed skin sparingly. Do not apply to the hands of young children, as it can be ingested if they put their hands in their mouths, or irritate their eyes if touched.
  • Avoid spraying the repellent near the mouth.

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