Children Are at the Heart of Caribbean Outdoor Life
From schoolyards and sports fields to beaches, parks, backyards, and family gatherings, children are constantly participating in the outdoor activities that bring Caribbean communities together. As mosquito exposure is a common concern associated with outdoor living in the Caribbean, understanding where children encounter mosquitoes and encouraging good mosquito prevention habits for children are important first steps in protecting children, leading to healthier families and communities.
The outdoors is where Caribbean life happens. Children’s activities often bring entire families and communities together across the Caribbean. A child’s soccer game brings parents, siblings, coaches, and spectators together. School activities bring together children, teachers, staff, and families. Beach outings, hiking and exploring nature, teaching children to fish, family barbecues, or simply playing outside with friends are just a few examples of how Caribbean children spend time outdoors and bring families and communities together. Children are often part of the same shared environment in which mosquito exposure occurs. Not every mosquito bite will put the whole community at risk. As children and families practice consistent bite prevention, they can reduce their individual exposure to mosquito bites and contribute to broader efforts to reduce mosquito-borne disease risk, supporting healthier families and communities.
Parents can’t realistically eliminate every outdoor mosquito encounter. But parents can encourage consistent mosquito bite prevention measures to mitigate risks for their children. Adding something like mosquito protection to a family’s routine needs to be practical and simple to remember. Before spending any time outdoors, parents and caregivers should apply age-appropriate repellent and use other measure to help protect children from mosquito bites. Keeping children protected can and should be simple, helping them spend more time outdoors enjoying their various activities without worrying about pesky mosquitoes.
Building Mosquito Protection Into Children’s Everyday Lives
Protecting children from mosquito bites is both a family health practice and one part of a broader community approach to reducing mosquito-borne disease risk. Practical and simple guidance for parents to protect children from mosquito bites include:
- Using repellent appropriate for the child’s age
- Following label direction for applying and reapplying insect repellent
- Wearing protective clothing, like long sleeves and pants, whenever possible
- Using screen and nets when appropriate
- Reducing standing water around the home
- Making protection a consistent part of the family routine before outdoor activities
Because insect repellent is an important tool for preventing mosquito bites, parents should know what to look for in an appropriate product safe for children’s use.
Start with the child’s age
Insect repellent consumers should never assume that a product appropriate for an adult is automatically appropriate for a young child. Parents should always check the product label for age restrictions before applying a repellent on their child. As insect repellents contain ingredients that repel mosquitoes, some of those ingredients may be too harsh for use on children’s sensitive skin. Always following the manufacturer’s directions for any insect repellent, and pay attention to the age limitations and types of ingredients used in the repellent you are looking to purchase.
Choose an effective active ingredient
Often insect repellents will use basic marketing claims such as “natural”, “strong”, or “long-lasting” to describe their formula. Consumers should aim to look past these claims and pay attention to the active ingredient used in the repellent formula. An insect repellent’s active ingredient is the component responsible for the repellent’s insect-repelling effect. The CDC identifies several active ingredients that provide effective protection against mosquitoes, as well as the safety level of each of those ingredients. The product and active ingredients should be appropriately registered by health authorities, and deemed effective and safe to use.
Consider how the repellent fits into the child’s activity
Parents should consider multiple factors for applying an insect repellent such as how long the child will be outside, whether sweating or water activities are likely, or whether the activity involves frequent rubbing or wiping of the skin. Simply choosing “the strongest repellent” may not be the right option in every circumstance, as some factors may affect how long a repellent remains on the skin and how often it needs to be reapplied. Choosing a repellent for its type of formulation, such as a spray or lotion based formula, can be as equally important as the type of active ingredient used.
Understand that “long-lasting” doesn’t mean “apply once and forget about it”
The duration of protection varies by insect repellent and real-world conditions. Sweat, water, physical activity, rubbing, and other factors can affect how long a repellent remains effective. Parents should always follow the product label for reapplication when it is needed. Reapplication should never exceed the label instructions for a given product. If water exposure or another condition affects the product, follow the label regarding when additional application is appropriate, and use other protective measures in the meantime.
Teach children appropriate protection habits as they grow
As children become older, parents can help them understand why mosquito protection matters and when they may need repellent. They should also learn how to recognize areas where mosquitoes may be present, why they should not apply repellent near their eyes or mouth, and why they should follow directions. Parents can teach children to recognize when mosquito protection may be needed and help them make it part of their routine before they engage in outdoor activities where mosquitoes are present. Mosquito protection can become another healthy habit that children learn alongside other everyday health practices.
For families looking for an insect repellent that can become part of their children’s everyday outdoor routine, the next step is finding a formulation that combines an appropriate active ingredient with characteristics suited to the realities of Caribbean living.
IMPEDE: Insect Protection for the Whole Family
IMPEDE is an insect repellent specifically designed with Caribbean families in mind. Using IR3535® as its active ingredient, IMPEDE is specifically attractive for parents seeking an alternative to harsher chemical profiles, like DEET. Developed by Merck in 1975, IR3535® has a long history of use internationally and is considered safe for use in children beginning at 2 months of age. IR3535® effectively protects against mosquitoes and a number of other biting insects found throughout the Caribbean. When it comes to protecting a child from biting insects, parents need both safety and effectiveness, which is why IMPEDE, formulated with IR3535®, provides a premium insect repellent product to meet any family’s needs.
The IMPEDE formula offers other advantages – it is hypoallergenic, dye-free, an easy-to-apply lotion format, sweat- and water-resistant, and suitable for sensitive skin. In addition to IR3535® in its formula, IMPEDE uses STAYTEC™ technology, a controlled-release system that helps keep the active ingredient on the skin surface longer. STAYTEC™ minimizes evaporation and skin absorption, while providing up to 14 hours of protection. The resulting need for fewer applications helps simplify protection routines for parents, and gives them peace of mind that they are using far less amounts of active ingredients on their children’s skins, all while protecting them from biting insects.
Whether a child is heading to soccer practice, playing at the park, spending the afternoon at the beach, or joining the family for an evening outdoors, IMPEDE can easily be incorporated into the family’s everyday insect-protection routine. Specifically designed for the realities of Caribbean living and available from retailers throughout the region, IMPEDE helps children continue enjoying the outdoor activities and community experiences that make Caribbean life special.