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print this pageNatural Insect Repellants
Summer……pool parties, picnics, barbeques, and mosquitoes. Protecting our children from mosquitoes and other pests is necessary due to the diseases that can be spread from these sources. The trick is finding something that is safe for the body and the environment while proving ample protection from these pests.
So what are our options? Perhaps it’s best to start with what attracts mosquitoes, so we can change some of our habits and hopefully keep them at bay. Dark clothing, fragrances, moisture, and burning candles are some of the things that invite mosquitoes. The CDC states that Picaridin and DEET demonstrated a high degree of effectiveness in peer- reviewed scientific journals, but some parents are concerned about the use of DEET because of the possible toxicity; particularly with younger children. Products containing DEET have been associated with rashes, swelling, itching, eye irritation, and less often with slurred speech confusion and seizures . The CDC recommends washing off the skin and calling your local poison control center if you experience even a rash from insect repellants . DEET is approved and recommended by the EPA for children over two months of age.
Earlier this year, researchers at Rockefeller University have discovered precisely how DEET works. According to their research DEET acts like a chemical cloak, masking human odors that attract blood-feeding insects . Understanding how DEET works will aid in the creation of safer and more effective repellants . Some people find the use of Picaridin to be effective and it is the active ingredient in Cutter and some of Avon’s Skin so Soft products.
Plant based oils can also provide natural protection. Cinammon oil and Catnip oil have shown to be effective against mosquito larvae and Thyme oil was found to repel mosquitoes for 2 hours, the highest efficacy demonstrated from the five plant essential oils tested. The CDC also mentions that oil of lemon eucalyptus is registered with the EPA for use as a mosquito repellant and is commercially available in a product called Repel. In addition, The New England Journal of Medicine concluded that soybean oil was effective for 1.5 hours of repellant and is available in products such as Lewey’s and Bite Blocker.
In choosing a repellant, it is important to take your own family’s needs into consideration. Using a natural repellant means applying more often, but if you’re concerned with chemicals is an option to consider. Also remember that even though something is labeled as natural, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the product is safer for you personally. It’s advisable to do a check on a small patch of skin to test for sensitivities. If you are concerned at all about reactions, contact the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
References
- http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/a/aa050503a.htm
- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/06/020611070622.htm
- http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/repellentupdates.htm
- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080313143052.htm
- http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1153121
- http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/07/040716081706.htm
- Zhu, J, et all. Adult repellency and larvicidal activity of five plant essential oils against mosquitoes. Journal of American Mosquito Control Association. 2006 September 22. Pages 515-522.
- http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm
- http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/347/1/13
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