Susan's Question:

This weekend I took my nine-year-old camping. She has been many times and is generally adventuresome and brave. This weekend, however, mosquitoes and other biting meanies turned her into a whimpering, whining wreck. We used DEET insect repellent liberally, but it did no good. What works to truly repel the buggies? Are the new citronella repellents reliable?

Susan Carlsson
Monrovia, California

	Alice Cary Alice introduced her oldest child, Will, to the outdoors at a very early age by climbing New Hampshire's Mt. Washington—in winter—while pregnant. And she and her family haven't stopped experiencing the joys of outdoor adventure, even with newborn twins. Meet Alice Answer Archive Family Forums

Alice's Answer:

Too bad, Susan. Sounds like a disappointing trip for both of you. I'm afraid repellents containing DEET are your best bet. Citronella repellents can be effective, but certainly not as effective as DEET.

Three Simple Plans
One good alternative to DEET is permethrin, although those bugs you described were so fierce I'm not sure you could win. You spray permethrin on your clothes, not your skin. Also, the stuff stays in clothes even after washing, so make sure you don't put it on good clothes.

A non-toxic solution is head nets, which look silly but really work when the bugs are swarming. You can cover up much of the rest of your body with clothing, so you'll be pretty much protected. I'm afraid that at certain times it's good to consider bailing out, and this might have been one of those times. The bugs have chased me away from a hike or two with my kids, I must admit. You don't want anyone to be miserable, and you don't want your daughter to be turned off to camping. Go back to that campsite another time when the bugs aren't biting.

DEET Alert
Finally, don't slather on the DEET too liberally. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that children not be exposed to any insect repellent containing more than 10 percent of DEET. And don't use any DEET on kids under two-it's too toxic.

Better luck next time, Susan.

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