Mosquito bites on Infants, Prevention? Treatment? Options

[Wolfgang]

Hi. My older kids have ballgames at night. I have been taking my baby to them with no mosquito problems. However, last night, the mosquitoes were coming out, and I was trying to keep them away. My stroller has a bug-net-thing over it but I have to take him out to feed him and stuff. Is there something safe to prevent mosquito bites on a six-week-old other than staying home? If he does get bitten, what can I do for him for the itch? Thanks for any help!

Heather

[TylerJ1029]

You can spray the net on the stroller with bug spray that contains 10% deet or less. You can try spraying a TINY bit on the baby's clothes but dont get any on the skin. Try calling the Dr. to find out what you can put on the actual bite.

[rhill4455]

I know that it is very rare for infants to get bit by mosquito's. Something about the smell of their blood (or the cemical in the blood that attracts them ) is not strong enough to attract a mosquito. I know I didnt have any problems with my first baby and we took a trip to florida when she was 3 months old and went camping by a lake that was filled with them (It was also in the dead of summer). I asked there doctor the same question that you just asked and his response was what I just said. Or something to that effect. I cant remember his exact works because it was 2 years ago.

This post has been edited by rhill4455: Jun 8 2005, 02:45 PM

[Maddies_Mommy22]

This is a great question! Especially living on the Alabama/Georgia border along the river. (Less than a mile away) they are covered here around my house.... and its not very comforting they've already had 2 cases of west nile here this summer. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused.gif) Good question!!! :)

I would say maybe just to be safe so you don't worry, keep a blanket or something over him while you have him out of the stroller. Of course, it may be a little warm but at least it'll cover most of his body from the mosquitoes until you can put him back in the stroller. This is probably what I'd do.

[cmyrick]

I have two things that "might" work.

Avon's Skin So Soft lotion is suppose to repel mosquitos. (No I don't sell it, so I'm not advertizing. I buy mine at the flea market, CHEAP) It should be safe as long as there's not a reaction to the perfume that's in it.

Also rubbing a dryer sheet on the skin repels mosquitos. It really does work! I have tried it on my kids. When they were infants I rubbed a used dryer sheet onthem. It was softer and didn't have so much smelly stuff on it. However it doesn't work as well as a bug spray type repelant, but it sure helps!

Also to treat mosquito bites, Melaluca oil. It is only available through a Melaluca sales rep. (No, I don't sell that either) It all natural oil from a melaluca tree. It stinks like camphore. But it makes the itch disappear almost instantly! I actually used some on my daughter just this morning! It is magical stuff!!!!!! BTW melaluca is used for a whole host of things like natural cleaners, vitiams, ect. It is suppose to be safe!

Of course you can probably use a small amount of bynadrel (SP?) cream to stop the itch. I WOULD NOT use anything like Cortisone 10 b/c it is a steriod. JMO