Mother to Mother | Environment

Safely Protecting Children From The West Nile Virus
By Kathy Arnos

Summer time is here and chances are your kids will be spending a lot of time outside. That usually means a lot of flying insects and bugs. With the recent spread of the West Nile Virus, mosquitoes will no doubt, be a big concern this year and there are things you need to know about keeping kids bug-free and safe.

Most insect repellents are made from DEET. DEET actually enters the bloodstream when applied to the skin. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises against using repellents containing more than 10% DEET on kids under the age of six. DEET is classified as a pesticide by the Environmental Protection Agency and has been associated with a variety of health problems ranging from dizziness, rashes, hives, uncontrollable twitching, muscle spasms, seizures and even death.

Children are especially susceptible. In 1995 alone, the National Poison Control Center in Washington, DC. received over 6,700 reports of repellent exposure, including one death, and of the 6,700 reports, two thirds occurred in children age six and under.

In 1995, New York State banned products with 30% or more DEET after reviewing 44 public health studies; The U.S. Military supplies soldiers with 33% or less DEET products; and DEET is suspected of being responsible, in part, for Gulf War Syndrome.

The greatest public awareness around DEET products was brought about when ABC's PrimeTime Live did a twenty minute segment on DEET alerting the consumer of it's potential danger. The program told the stories of Tim Christiansen, who in 1994, at the age of 26 years, died after applying DEET twice in one day; on Elijah Harrison, an 8 year old boy who's mother sprayed him with a 25% DEET product once a day for two days - he still suffers from seizures; and on Everglades National Park workers who experienced rashes, dizziness and numbness of the lips after using a DEET repellent.

Fortunately, there are natural bug repellents on the market today that are safe and nontoxic. In a comparison of natural products versus a DEET based product, independent tests showed that the average DEET repellent lasts four to eight hours, while those containing natural ingredients need to be reapplied about every two hours. DEET products may last longer than natural repellents, but when it comes to the safety of our family, especially children, most parents would agree, it is worth the added responsibility of additional applications.

According to Good Housekeeping Institute, The National Parenting Center and the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada (a government based research facility) the best natural product on the market today is Buzz Away, an essential oil product, (formulated with Citronella, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass and Peppermint, pure natural plant extracts.) It ranked the highest among natural repellents tested, and proved to be most effective against mosquitoes, blackflies, gnats, and no-see-ums. (www.quantumhealth.com; 1-800-448-1448). Researcher James Heal, at the University of Guelph found that, "The protection provided by Buzz Away is similar to that provided by DEET-based OFF! Skintastic."

Larry Clifford, the Assistant Superintendent at Crowley's Ridge State Park in Arkansas, was concerned about the possible problems that pesticides might pose. "My research presented caution after caution about DEET products," Clifford explained. He decided to compare natural repellents to DEET at his park's annual mosquito calling contest. "Arkansas is the mosquito capital of the world," Clifford said. In one event, contestants put an arm in a box with 500 or so mosquitoes. "We compared Buzz Away with DEET products. When I had my DEET covered arm into the test chamber, I could feel the little wing beats of the mosquitoes, and it was getting quite irritating. When I tried the other arm sprayed with Buzz Away, mosquitoes were buzzing 2 to 3 inches away. It was an obvious difference to me," he said.

Marcus Laux, a Los Angeles based physician and author, knows first hand that natural repellents can work even in extreme conditions. Laux leads camping expeditions to the rain forests of South and Central America to study medicinal properties of indigenous botanicals and states, "The mosquitoes there are fierce – in the Amazon they're as big as birds – Buzz Away worked even under the harshest conditions." Dr. Laux does reaffirm that products like Buzz Away must be applied frequently, as much as once every hour or two, in heavily infested areas.

Buzz Away is especially easy to use on very young children with their unique towelettes, which are easy to travel with and wipe on. Vitamin B1 is another successful secret weapon against biting insects and bugs. The dosage would be dependant on the situation and age of the child, anywhere from 50mg-400mg. Always check with a qualified health practitioner for appropriate recommendations.

It is reassuring to know that there are natural effective methods to support us in doing our best to keep our kids safe from toxic chemicals.