Keep Kids Safe from Bugs Lyme disease. Rocky Mountain spotted
fever. West Nile virus. Flying fiends and crawling critters can
spread such diseases with a bite. Few cases put kids' lives at
risk, say experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Still, some insects can threaten children's health, and you'd be
wise to take precautions. Many products seek to prevent bug
bites, but one that can be applied to skin is very effective:
DEET (usually listed on labels as N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). The
AAP recommends using products with no more than 30 percent DEET
on children 2 months of age and older who will be exposed to
insects that might cause diseases. The AAP says that DEET seems
as safe in concentrations of 30 percent as in concentrations of
10 percent. Products containing more DEET provide longer, but
not better, protection. Products that contain about 10 percent
DEET are effective for about two hours, the AAP says. Products
that contain about 24 percent DEET protect, on average, for
about five hours.