The harm of mosquito repellent to young children

Mosquito and insect sprays are a very popular item used in many homes. However, in fact, very few people pay attention to the ingredients as well as the harmful effects of mosquito repellent on the health of young children.

What ingredients do mosquito sprays contain? What harm do these ingredients cause to children's health? Let's join aFamilyToday Health to answer these questions below.

Mosquito repellent, insect

Currently, on the market there are many types of mosquito sprays with many different brands. In general, however, the main ingredients for these mosquito sprays are pyrethroid, allethrin, and prallethrin. In addition to these compounds, the repellant also uses the compound deltamethrin, which has a chemical composition similar to that of allethrin. Insect sprays work by dissolving the active ingredients in volatile solvents such as dichloromethane (DCM) or methylene chloride. Long-term inhalation of these compounds can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

In general, these insect sprays are not safe for children. This medicine works faster than other types of mosquito repellent, but it does many of the repellant's health effects. In addition, for the most part, these sprays have a pungent odor because they contain kerosene, a substance proven toxic to the body.

Young children are susceptible to the effects of mosquito repellant side effects. These drugs can be absorbed through the digestive system or absorbed through the skin.

The harm of mosquito repellent to young children

A recent study based on a database of three large regions, Australia, Europe and the Americas, has shown that if young children are exposed to a lot of chemicals in mosquito and insect sprays. it is very easy to get childhood cancers such as lymphoma or leukemia. Specifically, the incidence of leukemia and lymphoma among children exposed to chemicals in insect sprays was higher than in unexposed children at 47% and 43%, respectively.

According to experts, when spraying mosquito, insect, gas molecules will float in the air and stick to the surface. A part of the baby will inhale, the rest can be attached to the skin, clothes. Meanwhile, young children often put their fingers in their mouths. Therefore, these toxic chemicals are easy to enter the body, seriously affecting the respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system and endocrine system of children.

In addition, these insect and mosquito sprays can cause a number of side effects such as:

Respiratory problems:  These sprays can cause children to suffer from respiratory problems such as coughing, increased secretion and increased spasm of bronchial smooth muscles, making it difficult for children to breathe, pain ...

Skin irritation:  Contact with mosquito and insect sprays can cause skin irritation such as itching, rash ...

Eye irritation: When you spray mosquito, insect, or gas molecules into your child's eyes, they can become red and swollen. In addition, your child may experience watery eyes or itching.

In addition, the insect and mosquito sprays also cause symptoms such as fatigue, muscle pain, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea , sleep disturbances, memory loss, seizures and nervous system disorders.

The secret to using mosquito spray is safe for children

Here are some points that you should keep in mind when using them to limit the harmful effects of mosquito sprays on children:

Carefully read the information on the repellant's packaging to determine if it is safe for your child.

Before spraying, you should take the child out of the room so as not to affect the health.

After the spray is finished, you should wait more than 1 hour before returning the child to the room to make sure the scent and chemicals of the mosquito spray do not affect your child.

Always keep mosquito sprays out of the reach of children.

Stop using the mosquito spray right away if you suspect your child is allergic to it.

Spray only a sufficient amount, avoid over spraying.

How can I prevent mosquitoes without using mosquito spray?

Besides mosquito sprays, there are many safer ways to protect your child from mosquito bites that you can try:

Restrict children to play in areas with lots of mosquitoes such as trash, puddles, gardens ...

Wear long-sleeved clothing to avoid contact with mosquitoes. Limit clothing with bright colors because it attracts insects easily.

Using protective equipment such as mosquito nets and mosquito nets is the safest and most effective way to protect children from mosquitoes because you do not need to worry that your child may be exposed to harmful chemicals.

Use mosquito repellent if your baby is 2 months older. However, when using it, do not apply cream to the child's eyes and mouth.

Use natural mosquito repellent oils for children 2 months of age and older. However, these essential oils are not completely safe as children may also be sensitive to certain ingredients. So always consult your doctor before giving any essential oil to your child.

Absolutely do not use mosquito incense to repel mosquitoes for babies. The smoke from mosquito incense can irritate a child's respiratory tract. In addition, this mosquito repellent also produces carbon monoxide and many other harmful chemicals that are harmful to health.