EPA-registered repellents containing DEET or picaridin are the most effective and well-studied options for children. The CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend DEET-based products at up to 30% concentration for children over two months of age.
The idea of your kid getting bitten by a mosquito is awful. And you want to prevent the bites and the illnesses that come with them. But when you go online to look, there’s a lot of noise and marketing, and it’s tough to know what works.
DEET is king. It’s the most thoroughly studied repellent ingredient, with decades of safety data supporting its use on children when applied according to label directions. Products with 10-30% DEET provide one to several hours of protection depending on concentration. Apply it to exposed skin and clothing, avoiding the hands, eyes, and mouth. For young children, adults should apply the repellent rather than letting kids do it themselves.
Picaridin is a newer alternative that performs comparably to DEET in most studies. It doesn’t smell, it’s non-greasy, and it won’t damage synthetic fabrics. A 20% picaridin formula can provide up to 12 hours of mosquito protection, and it’s approved for use on children two months and older.
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) is the strongest plant-based option, offering up to six hours of protection. However, the CDC recommends against using OLE products on children under three years of age because it hasn’t been tested very much on that age group.
Be careful when looking at citronella-based sprays, repellent wristbands, and essential oil blends. A lot of the time, these are sold as “natural” alternatives. But the evidence for their effectiveness is thin, especially compared to DEET and picaridin.
Also effective, you can:
- Dress kids in light-colored, long-sleeved clothing
- Tuck pants into socks in tick-prone areas
- Avoid scented soaps and lotions that can attract mosquitoes
- Check for ticks after any outdoor play, especially around the hairline, ears, underarms, and waistband
For Williamsburg parents who want to reduce the need for personal repellent on their children, Mosquito Squad of Williamsburg provides barrier treatments that help reduce mosquito and tick populations by up to 85-90% in your yard. Fewer pests in the yard means less reliance on sprays and lotions every time the kids go outside to play.
