Bzzzz…bzzzz bzzz!!! There’s absolutely nothing more annoying than the sound of a mosquito buzzing near your ear. The only thing more annoying than that is the sign of a red, puffy mosquito bite on your child’s soft and unblemished skin. Sensory kids have enough going on without adding irritating, burning reactions to mosquito bites. In fact, many children with sensory processing disorder display overreactions to bug bites. Your best bet is to get into the daily habit of preventing mosquito bites (as much as possible since sadly they still exist on planet earth). Try the following tips to avoid nasty mosquito bites this summer:
A Deep Pressure body massage is always a good idea to give your child to promote a calm and relaxed atmosphere before bedtime. Try massaging the skin with a natural mosquito repellent- made from essential oils diluted in a carrier oil. (For more information on how to make an easy home-made repellent check out: http://www.skeetersyndrome.net/natural-mosquito-control/)
(Always check with your doctor first for age appropriate repellents for your kids).
Mosquitoes require standing water to breed. Empty children’s wading pools at least once a week. Better yet, as a great Heavy Work activity have your kids empty them with a bucket.
Fans- a steady breeze can throw mosquitoes off course easily. And if nearby you place a mosquito zapper then you’re really sending them to the death trap. An additional sensory benefit of fans is to (with parental supervision of course) sing songs close to the fan… the vibrations from the fan’s blades has a funny and entertaining effect your kid’s voice! And singing is a great way to provide oral input when treating oral sensory processing issues. (watch this funny YouTube video on kids singing in front of a fan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mBVT0FbvRY).
Malky Shapira, Pediatric Occupational Therapist Mother of two terrific toddlers.