Summer vacation is right around the corner, and your kids are undoubtedly looking forward to swimming at the neighborhood pool, playing outside with their friends and going to summer camp. While these activities are fun, they do come with a dark side in the form of insects and other critters that find your child to be scrumptious. In order to protect your kiddos from painful and itchy bug bites, check out the following tips:
Watch for bed bugs
If you go yard sale shopping this summer, closely inspect pre-owned furniture before buying it and then quarantine it before bringing it indoors.
Discourage mosquitoes this summer
If you are not comfortable with the idea of putting bug spray on your kiddos, Prevention offers some natural tips. These include choosing breezy days for your outings because mosquitoes don’t like the wind, dressing your children in fabrics that offer sun protection and, since mosquitoes are attracted by darker colors, making sure they are in light-colored duds.
Repel ticks
If you are comfortable using a DEET product, apply it to your kids, avoiding their hands, eyes and mouth (there are also DEET-free alternatives). Then, once your kids come back inside, check their clothes for ticks. You can also have them change their clothes right away and wash what they were wearing outside. Drying the clothes for one hour on high heat should kill off any ticks. Encourage your kids to take a bath or shower; doing so within two hours has been found to reduce the risk of getting Lyme disease.
Banish bee stings
If you have a pool, keep an eye out for bees who are looking for a drink of water and encourage your kids to steer clear. Even mostly deceased bees in the pool can sting, so skim the water regularly. Also, even though summertime blossoms are beautiful, if your kiddos are allergic to bees, keep your flowers to a minimum.
What are you doing to prevent Zika?
This is great. I am allergic to mosquitoes and we just found out our son is too. I love the summer but hate all of the bugs =(
Bug bites are absolutely the worst! We use essential oils to prevent bites here and that works wonders!
These are actually some techniques I had no idea about. It’s so important to take these proper steps when caring for our kids.
Excellent tips! I am so scared of the Zika virus this Summer, as I’m pregnant and it’s effects aren’t completely known yet!
Bugs just love my youngest. She gets bug bites really bad. Soo bad that she doesn’t want to go outside.
I’m sorry to hear that. I feel her. Bugs love me too.
I really hate when the kids get bug bites because they really suffer with them. I am so glad that there are some easy ways to protect them from the discomfort.