Electricity is used to heat up a liquid, which either repells the insects, or masks your scent, making it harder for them to locate you and bite you.
Is It Safe To Use Mosquito Repellents?
Coming to the safety, these mosquito repellents are used widely, day after day and have become an indispensable part of our Good Night routine. Most of us have grown into adults snuggling to sleep sniffing to the slight aroma of mosquito repellents. What about those who are not yet present this world or are on their way – yes the reference here is to the expecting moms, newborns and infants! Mosquitoes can be really annoying and they can be very dangerous. Research has it that chemicals in mosquito repellents are not safe to be inhaled and can cause serious breathing problems, or trigger allergic reactions. In large doses, these chemicals can be fatal to inhale and may even cause cancer.
Is It Safe To Use Mosquito Repellents During Pregnancy
Mosquitoes can cause life-threatening diseases such as chikungunya, dengue and malaria. If these diseases are encountered during pregnancy, they can harm the fetus and health of the baby. When a repellent is directly applied to the skin in the form of cream or lotion, 5-10% of it gets directly absorbed into the blood stream and thus may reach the fetus. This is a very meagre amount and there are no side effects such as birth abnormalities due to this. However care should be taken because some people may be allergic to DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), the very common active ingredient in repellents.
On the other hand, there has been a study which has linked use of the so-called safe DEET-based mosquito repellents in the first trimester and birth abnormality in male babies. Although the study is still in elementary stages, the condition called, Hypospadias (difficulty opening penis or foreskin) has been identified in male babies, whose mothers used repellents in the first three months of pregnancy.
Is It Safe To Use Mosquito Repellents with Babies and Infants?
The cheap and easily available mosquito coils emit a lot of smoke and an unpleasant smell. This smoke may lead to various respiratory disorders such as asthma and cough along with allergic reactions. Also since the doors and windows are closed during the night to prevent any nasty intruders and mosquitoes, the constantly burning coil may cause suffocation to young beings. Though many of them are safe for babies over 2 months of age, it is recommended not to use the same for babies less than 2 months. Infact, kids should not be exposed to mosquito repellents with more than 30% DEET.
If you are using mosquito coil or repellent liquid, spray.. and don’t want to use old-fashioned Mosquito Nets, please note the following points,
- It always helps to use a product as per the instructions on the box
- When you do use the repellent, make your baby sit or sleep in the other room
- Do not sleep with the baby with the mosquito repellent burning all night
- Make sure that you do not use a repellent more than once a day
- Dress your baby in full sleeved, light color clothing as mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors
- The easy to apply mosquito repellent creams are also available in the market. If you do use them, then use them on the clothes, and never on the skin
- If using other mosquito repellents, do not spray them near their face
- Also do not apply anything on their hands or the things such as teething rings which they are most likely to taste!
- Cover the babies as much as possible
- Opt for fragrance-free baby products – perfume attracts mosquitoes!
- For babies, consider applying cream on the clothes, rather than on the skin as the chemicals may irritate their delicate skin
- The most important point is to thoroughly wash your hands with soap after handling the repellents. Never ever ingest these!
I think babies or adults, it harms human being slowly. SO better to avoid using them and stay away from the coils.
Source: https://www.beingtheparent.com/mosquito-repellents-are-they-safe/
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