Q: Every summer it's the same worry. My 4 year old has severe reactions to bug bites and I'm terrified she'll catch West Nile Virus or encephalitis or who know what? Help! A: Good question! As the hazy lazy crazy days of summer approach, let's devise our plan for attacking this expectable challenge from an oncoming horde of despicable creepy-crawlies.
Fortunately, we have good ways to address your concerns, which I will summarize here (and have discussed in more detail in an earlier blog post
here)
Dr. P's Top 10 Strategies to Banish the Creepy Crawlies of Summer: - Don't panic! Don't be overly paranoid. Don't let your fears ruin the fun of summer for you and your kids.
- Take prudent precautions. Remember that the odds of contracting a serious disease from a bug bite are very very slim - and vanishingly small if you take proper preventive precautions.
- Prevention, prevention, prevention! Once a bite has happened, there is little to be done except to treat whatever symptoms might arise. The trick is to prevent the bite in the first place.
- Have your child wear long sleeves and long pants when possible.
- Apply bug repellent to clothing and exposed skin.
- Bug repellents with Deet are the most effective. They are safe to use on children over 2 months of age. Pick the lowest concentration that will get the job done for as long as you need.
- Newer repellents that are likely effective include picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus (although they have is less long-term safety data). Feel free to try these and see if they work as well.
- Wash off the repellent after coming indoors.
- Take environmental precautions. Look for mosquito breeding grounds in still water around your house. Be sure your screens are intact. Use mosquito netting around strollers, beds.
- Stay abreast of any reported transmittable infectious diseases in your area. Call your doctor if you are concerned your child may have one.
Here's to a healthy, safe, and fun summer - that most magical of childhood times!
译文:
问与答：蚊子和孩子，他们来啦！
提问：每年夏天我都被同样的事情困扰着。我四岁的女儿对于蚊虫叮咬反应剧烈。我总是担心她会得上西尼罗河病毒或者是脑膜炎或者是什么不知名的疾病！谁能帮帮我！
回答：很不错的问题。在让人昏昏欲睡萎靡不振却又令人抓狂的夏日就要到来了，让我们好好策划一个能够从那些令人毛骨悚然的恶心的小虫子包围中全身而退的计划。
幸运的是，下面我提到的这些方法能够让你放下心来。（在早前的博客中我已经更加细致的讨论过这个话题了）
P博士夏日防蚊虫的十个策略
1.不要惊慌失措，不要总是胡思乱想，不要让你的恐惧心理把你和孩子的美好夏日破坏掉。
2.要小心戒备。记住因为蚊虫叮咬得到严重疾病的几率是非常小的，如果你能采取适宜的防范措施，就几乎可以避免。
3.预防、预防还是预防。一旦你被咬了，除了能够对已经出现的症状对应治疗以外，你几乎什么都做不了。方法只有提前预防，避免被咬。
4.可能的话，让你的孩子穿长裤长褂。
5.在衣物和暴露的皮肤上涂驱虫水。
6.可稀释的驱虫水最有效。它对于两个月以上的孩子也适用。根据需要，你应该选取能够达到功效的最低浓度。
7.有种含有美国推荐适用驱虫剂成分以及柠檬和桉树油成分的新的驱虫水似乎也很有效（尽管还没有证明这些成分的长期安全性）。
8.回到室内的时候记得洗掉那些驱虫药水。
9.采取环境控制手段。找找在你屋子附近有没有蚊子繁衍的死水，确保家里没有死角。在经常进入的场所和床的旁边放好蚊帐。
10.时刻关注在你居住地区报导的流行疾病，如果你认为孩子有可能感染，马上打电话给医生。
剩下的就是健康、安全、充满乐趣的夏日啦--孩子们最期待的梦幻童年！