With the monsoon going all out with nonstop showers across the country, the mosquitoes also seem to be determined to go all out this breeding season and have a massive feast with your much loved little ones being the food source. While using mosquito repellent products is a must, the dilemma is in choosing the most effective safe and pocket friendly option to stay mosquito safe. One such dilemma is choosing between the creams and anti-mosquito patches. Here is a blow by blow account of why both these products work and why they don't
In defense of the anti-mosquito patches: The patches are created to be stuck on various things like kid's clothes, caps, strollers, bags, bed sides, cribs etc. There are n number of places you can stick these mosquito repellent patches to keep the baby mosquito safe for long hours. The simplest way is to stick a patch on the back of your child's clothes to ensure that they stay in place and do their job without your little one trying to eat or play with it. The patches usually have a natural active ingredient like citronella oil that is used to keep the mosquitoes away. At no point of time do the patches and their ingredients come in direct contact with the little ones making them extremely safe.
Where the patches fail: The patches need to be re-applied very often. These patches are usually good for an hour or two almost and then a new one ends to be used. While effective, parents need to stay vigilant when using the patches for frequent use of new patches. If the patches are not stored properly in the required air tight conditions the mosquito repellent will evaporate before being any use what so ever. Good quality patches tend to stick too hard on the children's clothes and damage them if not removed with care. On the other end, some patches have bad quality adhesives rendering the patches useless since they tend to fall of or fly away.
In defense of the mosquito repellent creams: These are known to be effective and are time tested remedies for mosquito problems when the kids are out travelling and playing. These are very easy to use and carry around. Additionally, these are easy on the pockets and are available everywhere. If the cream is based on a natural mosquito repellent like citronella oil it will need be re-applied more often than the DEET and picaridin ones making it a nuisance for the kids and parents alike.
Where the creams fail: The creams are greasy and leave a slimy layer on the skin. They are easily washed off due to sweat and rain and need frequent reapplication. Coming in direct contact with the skin many compounds from the cream get directly absorbed in the children's body and which may tend to be harmful in the long run. Cream applied on the skin is easily licked and ingested by the little ones. Children may develop allergic reactions or rashes if the ingredients do not suit them. Running behind children and getting them to apply the cream multiple times is a challenge.
So pick your repellent wisely, your child's safety from mosquitoes depends on it.