With all the weather changes that global warming brings, so changes the patterns of seasonal pests. Today many geographical areas are plagued with flying insects and bugs all year round, as opposed to just in the spring and summer. With the spread of the West Nile Virus in recent years, mosquitoes are a big concern when it comes to keeping kids bug-free and pesticide-free.
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, D.C. 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 by Quantum Health, an essential oil product, (formulated with Citronella, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass and Peppermint, all 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. Researcher James Heal, at the University of Guelph found that protection provided by Buzz Away is similar to that provided by DEET-based OFF! Skintastic.
Also, in clinical testing another natural bug repellent, All Terrain proved to hold 100% effectiveness for two hours and 95.8% for an additional hour.
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. Arkansas is known as the mosquito capital of the world so Clifford decided to compare natural repellents to DEET at his park's annual mosquito calling contest. In one event, contestants put an arm in a box with 500 or so mosquitoes. They compared Buzz Away with DEET products. When DEET covered one contestant’s arm in the test chamber, little wing beats of the mosquitoes were felt. With Buzz Away sprayed on the arm, mosquitoes were buzzing 2 to 3 inches away. The test proved an obvious difference to the participants.
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 convenient towelettes, which are very travel friendly. Vitamin B1 is another secret weapon against biting insects and bugs, and can be taken internally, or in an easy to work with application of the Don’t Bite Me Patch. The patch can simply be placed on the child’s skin. (If left on too long it can be hard to pull off.) The dosage would be dependent 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.
Natural bug repellents include:
Buzz Away
All Terrain
Don’t Bite Me! Patch
Badger Balm
Burt’s Bees
Calfornia baby
Recent Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment