Hurricane Katrina: Information on Insect Repellent Use and Safety in Children
There is an expectation for increased exposure to mosquitoes in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. 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 sunscreen, it may be necessary to reapply a sunscreen but the combination product should not be reapplied because the repellent is not water soluble and repeated application may increase the potential toxic effects. 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 EPA regulates all pesticides, and extensive information about insect repellents can be found at their website
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- EPA Main Page: http://www.epa.gov/
- Hurricane Katrina Response: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/
- Mosquito Control and West Nile Virus: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/westnile.htm
- How to Use Insect Repellents Safely: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/insectrp.htm
- The CDC has a number of sites with information about mosquito repellents
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- Insect Repellent Use and Safety: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm
- Updated Information Regarding Insect Repellents: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/RepellentUpdates.htm
- The AAP has information about the use of mosquito repellents in children
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- Follow Safety Precautions When Using DEET on Children: http://www.aap.org/family/wnv-jun03.htm
- DEET Alternatives Considered to be Effective Mosquito Repellents: http://www.aap.org/family/wnv-jun05.htm
- The Medical Letter contains an article on insect repellents
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- Insect Repellents: http://medicalletter.org/freedocs/repellents.pdf
Source: Hurricane Katrina: Information on Insect Repellent Use and Safety in Children
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