World Mosquito Day 2019: Tips to protect, treat bites in babies

How to protect babies from mosquitoes

1. Choose the right clothes for your baby

Make your child wear full-length pants and full-sleeved tops made of comfortable material to prevent mosquito bites. Your can also cover the limbs with mittens and socks to protect them. The face will be exposed but the chances of being bitten on other parts of the body can be minimised.

2. Use a mosquito net

Babies, including less than two months old, can be kept inside a mosquito net. You have to be careful that there’s no mosquito caught inside the net or it may bite your baby.

3. Apply natural repellents

For older babies, you can apply mosquito repellents that are natural and non-toxic and does not harm the baby’s skin like Ayurvedic ones. Mosquito repellents are also available in the form of roll-on liquids, which can be applied around the place where the baby is sleeping. You can also place anti-mosquito patches on the baby’s clothes.

4. Use anti-mosquito breeding methods

To protect your baby from mosquito bites, keep the surroundings clean and hygienic. This includes clearing stagnant water, using natural plants among other measures to avoid mosquito breeding.

How to treat mosquito bites

In case, there is a mosquito bite, here’s how to treat it.

1. Apply ice

If the mosquito bite is too painful, you can apply some ice on the area.

2. Apply calamine lotion

You can apply some calamine lotion in the area bitten by mosquito for a soothing effect.