Why repellent is the safe choice
Mosquitoes and ticks carry Lyme disease, West Nile virus, dengue, Zika, and, in many parts of the world, malaria. In the US, Lyme disease alone affects an estimated 476,000 people a year, with children aged 5–9 among the most affected. Every major paediatric body has concluded that the tested repellents are far safer than the diseases they prevent. Fear of DEET has led some parents to use products with no proven effect, which is the worse outcome.
By age
| Age | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2 months | No repellent on skin | Mosquito netting over the pram or carrier, long sleeves and trousers, avoid dawn and dusk outdoors. Permethrin-treated netting and clothing are fine. |
| 2 months – 2 years | DEET 10–30% or picaridin up to 20% (US guidance); Canada: DEET ≤10%, once a day; picaridin from 6 months | Apply with your hands, not sprayed directly. Face: put a little on your palms and dab cheeks and forehead, avoiding eyes and mouth. |
| 2 – 12 years | DEET 10–30%, picaridin up to 20% | Canada limits DEET to 10% and three applications a day. Oil of lemon eucalyptus from age 3. |
| Over 12 | Same as adults | DEET 20–30% or picaridin 20% for long protection. |
The repellents that work
- DEET — the most-studied repellent, effective against mosquitoes and ticks. 10% lasts about 2 hours, 20–30% about 4–8. Higher concentrations last longer but don't repel better. Melts plastics and synthetic fabrics.
- Picaridin (icaridin) — as effective as DEET at 20%, no smell, doesn't damage plastics, rarely irritates. Lasts 8+ hours at 20%. Increasingly the first choice for children.
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus / PMD — a plant-derived option with real evidence (30% lasts about 6 hours). Not for children under 3, because of eye irritation and lack of testing, not because of known toxicity. Note that 'lemon eucalyptus essential oil' is a different, untested product.
- IR3535 — mild and well tolerated, common in Europe; shorter protection (2–4 hours at 20%). Fine from 2 months in most guidance.
- Permethrin — for clothing and gear only, never skin. Treated clothing plus a skin repellent is the most effective tick combination for hiking and camping.
Skip these
- Sunscreen-repellent combination products — sunscreen needs reapplying every two hours, repellent doesn't; combining them means over-applying repellent or under-applying sunscreen. Apply sunscreen first, wait, then repellent.
- Repellent wristbands, stickers, and patches — no meaningful protection in controlled tests.
- Ultrasonic devices and apps — don't work.
- Untested 'natural' sprays — citronella, lavender, and most essential-oil blends give under 30 minutes of protection if any. Oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD) is the exception.
- Vitamin B1, garlic, or dietary approaches — no effect.
- Any repellent above 30% DEET on a child — no added benefit.
How to apply
- Adults apply it; don't let children handle repellent
- Spray onto your hands, then rub onto the child's exposed skin; for the face, dab from your palms, avoiding eyes and mouth
- Never apply to hands (they go in mouths), cuts, rashes, or sunburn
- Don't apply under clothing; apply to the outside of clothing if needed (check fabric with DEET)
- Use just enough to cover; more doesn't help
- Reapply only as the label directs, usually after swimming or heavy sweating
- Wash skin with soap and water when you come inside, and wash treated clothing before wearing it again
- Don't apply in enclosed spaces; do it outside or in a ventilated room
- Store repellent out of reach; poisonings are almost all from ingestion
Physical protection first
Repellent is one layer. Long, light-coloured clothing with trousers tucked into socks, a hat, mosquito nets on prams and beds, window screens, avoiding dawn and dusk in mosquito season, emptying standing water in the garden, and a full-body tick check after time in grass or woods reduce the need for chemical protection and catch what repellent misses. Ticks removed within 24 hours rarely transmit Lyme disease.
If a child swallows repellent or gets it in their eyes
Rinse eyes with water for 15 minutes. For ingestion, call poison control immediately — don't induce vomiting. DEET ingestion can cause serious effects; the volume matters, so have the bottle with you. Skin reactions (redness, itching) are rare and usually resolve after washing the product off.
Is it in your product?
Paste the ingredient list or snap a photo of the label — IngredientIQ rates every ingredient in seconds.
Common questions
Is DEET safe for babies?
From 2 months, at 10–30%, per the American Academy of Pediatrics. Canada is more cautious: 10% maximum and none under 6 months. Under 2 months, use nets and clothing only.
DEET or picaridin for kids?
Both are recommended. Picaridin 20% has become the common first choice: same effectiveness, no odour, doesn't melt plastics, less skin irritation. DEET has the longer safety record.
Are natural bug sprays safe for kids?
They're generally safe, but most don't work — citronella and essential-oil blends last minutes. The exception is oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD), which works but isn't for children under 3. A repellent that doesn't work isn't the safe option in tick country.
Can I put bug spray on a baby's face?
Not by spraying. Apply a little to your palms and dab onto cheeks and forehead, keeping well clear of eyes and mouth. Or skip the face and use a hat with a net.
Should I use bug spray every day?
Only when there's a real risk — evenings outdoors in mosquito season, hikes in tick habitat, travel to areas with insect-borne disease. A backyard with few mosquitoes at midday doesn't need it. Wash it off at the end of each day.
Related
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics, Choosing an Insect Repellent for Your Child
- CDC, Prevent Mosquito Bites and Preventing Tick Bites
- Health Canada, Insect Repellents: Safety Tips for Children
- Kugeler et al., Estimating the frequency of Lyme disease diagnoses, Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2021
- Rodriguez et al., Efficacy of some wearable devices compared with spray-on insect repellents, Journal of Insect Science, 2017