With the arrival of sunny days, mosquitoes invest our interiors and sometimes attack the most fragile: babies. Faced with this seasonal invasion, parents are looking for solutions to prevent their infant from waking up covered in bites. But all the methods are not suitable for toddlers, and some are even to be avoided.
Before 6 months: repellents are not recommended
According to Jules Fougère, pediatrician and columnist in the program Kindergarten Coming to France 4, anti-mosquito repeats must be avoided in infants under 6 months of age. “”Before 6 months, we will avoid anti-mosquitoes, repellents“, He warns on his Instagram account @ped.urg. Instead, he recommends mechanical and safe measures:”You can put mosquito nets around the bed, the stroller or the pram.“”
From 6 months, some repulsive adapted to age can be used, but with precaution: “We will be able to use repellents adapted to age, which we will avoid putting on the hands of the child or on his face, to prevent him“. The privileged solution? Apply products to clothes rather than directly on the skin.
The pediatrician also recalls the importance of removing stagnant water points, such as the cups on windows, real mosquito nests.
Anti-mosquito bracelets: a false good idea
Another reflex to be avoided: anti-mosquito bracelets. The UFC-Que Choisir sounded the alarm from 2020, warning against their use in young children, due to their essential oil content. The latter can cause skin reactions, even burns, and are dangerous in the event of accidental ingestion.
“”The health security agency (ANSES) recommends avoiding having these bracelets bring these bracelets to infants and young children. Allergic people and pregnant women have every interest in following this advice: essential oils used against mosquitoes (geraniol, citrodiol) are often allergenic, irritating at best, and not recommended for certain audiences because they contain terpenes“, alerts the consumer association.
The advice of a dermatologist for suitable protection
Dr. Nina Roos, dermatologist and book author Skin in great shape (Solar editions), recommends avoiding the use of anti-mosquito sprays or lotions before the age of 2 and a half. In question: the substances they contain, like the deet, can cross the skin and find themselves in the blood of toddlers. These products are “Allergenic and irritating to the fragile skin of infants. To summarize, it is better to use an anti-mosquito with sparing“, She insists.
For older children, the dermatologist advises to favor products containing a maximum of ingredients of natural origin, while remaining vigilant to composition.
Simple and effective alternatives
In addition to the mosquito net, still as effective, other tips allow you to limit bites:
- Use an anti-mosquito diffuser in the bedroom before bedtime, taking care to ventilate the room then;
- Dress baby with long, loose and light clothes, covering arms and legs, even in summer;
- Install a fan near the cradle, because mosquitoes do not like moving;
- Apply a few drops of lemongrass or eucalyptus essential oils on sheets (and not on the skin or near baby);
- Avoid night outings or at the end of the day, periods of intense activity of mosquitoes.
Finally, if you plan to go on vacation with a toddler, it is better to avoid destinations very infested with mosquitoes, when possible.
In summary, to effectively protect baby from mosquitoes, prevention and caution remain the best weapons, especially in its first months of life.