Which mosquito repellent to use for a 9 year old child?
Dec 4th, 2013, 02:17 PM
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Which mosquito repellent to use for a 9 year old child?
Travelling to Thailand for 4 weeks with my daughter in January and have done lots of reading up about mozzie repellents and am very confused about what can and can't be used on children. There are so many mixed messages about what is safe/percentages/natural/chemical etc etc... Confused.Com
I am planning on using Ultrathon 3M on myself which I believe contains 35% DEET but I am unsure whether this is okay to use on my daughter. Does anyone know if this is okay?
Also, is this okay to use everyday for 4 weeks? And how many times a day is it to be applied? Or if this is too high a percentage to use on children, then what should she be using?
Also, a bit off topic, but is it recommended to get rabies jabs and take anti malarials if we are going to be up in the mountains near Chiang Rai for a few days?
I am planning on using Ultrathon 3M on myself which I believe contains 35% DEET but I am unsure whether this is okay to use on my daughter. Does anyone know if this is okay?
Also, is this okay to use everyday for 4 weeks? And how many times a day is it to be applied? Or if this is too high a percentage to use on children, then what should she be using?
Also, a bit off topic, but is it recommended to get rabies jabs and take anti malarials if we are going to be up in the mountains near Chiang Rai for a few days?
Dec 4th, 2013, 03:31 PM
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Do talk with your daughter's doctor about this. There is some controversy about the use of deet in children, but the concern is mostly with very small children. Picardin is the other effective repellant.
Rabies jabs are not necessary. But tell me about exactly where you will be and the type of accommodation near Chiang Rai. Do the accommodations have air conditioning? screened windows? or are you staying in a hilltribe village?
Rabies jabs are not necessary. But tell me about exactly where you will be and the type of accommodation near Chiang Rai. Do the accommodations have air conditioning? screened windows? or are you staying in a hilltribe village?
Dec 4th, 2013, 04:00 PM
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I can tell you it is the end of the rainy season, and the mosquito are fierce. I got choked the other day in a taxi I think. The drivers sit with windows open between customers, and they get in the car. we also have had some on the 22 floor in our room. the hotel tells us they come in the air ducts, and were not surprised when I mentioned it.
kathies advise above is right on. Check with your MD about what repellent and re malaria pills.
kathies advise above is right on. Check with your MD about what repellent and re malaria pills.
Dec 4th, 2013, 04:00 PM
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I can tell you it is the end of the rainy season, and the mosquito are fierce. I got choked the other day in a taxi I think. The drivers sit with windows open between customers, and they get in the car. we also have had some on the 22 floor in our room. the hotel tells us they come in the air ducts, and were not surprised when I mentioned it.
kathies advise above is right on. Check with your MD about what repellent and re malaria pills.
kathies advise above is right on. Check with your MD about what repellent and re malaria pills.
Dec 5th, 2013, 03:17 PM
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Some people are bug magnets. If you or your children always seem to have more bug bites than everyone around you - you may have to take some other precautions. Like wearing long pants, long sleeves, maybe avoiding time outside when mosquitoes are more active.
When you walk around and notice couples or a family group sometimes there is one person that seems to have more welts and bug bites than anyone else in their group. In my personal observation, I usually notice women more often to have a greater attraction to mosquitoes. (Or maybe I just look at the women closer!)
In hotel room, with windows shut, I don't find much of a problem with flying bugs. Maybe hunt down any stragglers who came in when the maids opened the windows to air the room out. If you plan on staying in cheap fan only rooms screens may have holes in them.
See your doctor for malaria and deet.
When you walk around and notice couples or a family group sometimes there is one person that seems to have more welts and bug bites than anyone else in their group. In my personal observation, I usually notice women more often to have a greater attraction to mosquitoes. (Or maybe I just look at the women closer!)
In hotel room, with windows shut, I don't find much of a problem with flying bugs. Maybe hunt down any stragglers who came in when the maids opened the windows to air the room out. If you plan on staying in cheap fan only rooms screens may have holes in them.
See your doctor for malaria and deet.
Dec 5th, 2013, 07:33 PM
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We took our kids to the area north of Chiang Rai at the end of December some years ago and there were absolutely NO mosquitoes. In fact, it was quite wintery and down jackets were necessary in the mornings.
However, we did go with our boys to Central America when they were the age of your daughter and, as others have said, there was/is much controversy about using DEET with kids. You need to check with a doctor you trust because there are so many differing opinions.
Our pediatricians felt that DEET products were okay for kids if under 20%, but suggested first trying Avon Skin So Soft (which now has added Picaridin). For the most part, the Skin So Soft worked unless we were in a middle of a swamp or out at sunset. But DEET was often necessary on everyone's ankles at night.
We took Malarone (anti-malarial) in northern Thailand because we had just come from Cambodia, where it was suggested, and we were staying right on the Mehkong. Again, you need to check with your doctor, but our hotel manager was surprised we had been advised to take the meds.
However, we did go with our boys to Central America when they were the age of your daughter and, as others have said, there was/is much controversy about using DEET with kids. You need to check with a doctor you trust because there are so many differing opinions.
Our pediatricians felt that DEET products were okay for kids if under 20%, but suggested first trying Avon Skin So Soft (which now has added Picaridin). For the most part, the Skin So Soft worked unless we were in a middle of a swamp or out at sunset. But DEET was often necessary on everyone's ankles at night.
We took Malarone (anti-malarial) in northern Thailand because we had just come from Cambodia, where it was suggested, and we were staying right on the Mehkong. Again, you need to check with your doctor, but our hotel manager was surprised we had been advised to take the meds.
