Oh MY!!! I am scared to take Ashley out now!

MommyToAshley wrote: A man in our county just died of West Niles. We live in kind of a wooded area... our backyard has lots of trees and the park that is in walking distance has a wooded area right behind the swings. I see misquitoes out during the day... I am scared to take Ashley outside now. I know I shouldn't be like this, but I would never forgive myself if something happened to Ashley. She is my whole world!

Mommieto2Girls replied: Ever sence the misquitoes came out I have had to keep Maddie in, but then DH put a air conditioner in the babys room and all of a sudden we had a dozen of them in here, it took a week for us to figure out how they were getting in though, but now Maddie has probley 30 bites on her body, but now they are going away . Thank god, they look awful. She even learned how to scratch them, poor thing. I feel so bad. I bought off that has 5%deet in it and it helps but a few still got her .

~CrazieMama~ replied: Wow, that is scary!!!! I would be very nervous too. Brianna is my life too. I would probably stay in doors after 5p.m. Good luck and stay covered up!!!

Kirstenmumof3 replied: Isn't it sad, this world we live in now. West Nile, SARS and mad cow disease. Our poor children. I am terrified that ever cold we get in our house is going to turn into SARS (even though there have been no reported cases here), at our camp this summer, I barely went outside with Claudia. It just isn't fair what fear can do! And with 4 teenager bording students, 2 school aged children, myself and DH all we usually eat is ground beef. It's a sad sad world!

MomToJade&Jordan replied: I don't blame you. I would be scared too. Just make sure you don't take her out during peak misquito activity. I think this is right before dusk. Fall will be coming on there soon so that should start to keep the population down. Just remember to keep all items that can hold water empty because they breed in standing water.

MomToMany replied: Wow! That is scary! Maybe he got it somewhere else. Just be sure to avoid the peak mosquito time (usually at dusk), and put bug spray on her when you do go out.

It's such a scary world with all the sickness and diseases out there that might come in contact with your family. Just make sure you use all safety precautions and it shouldn't happen to you or your family.

Heather replied: I don't blame you. Alison has sweet blood, bugs swarm to her like she is a feast. I can't really take her out at night because of it. We live in a town that is really swampy so the bugs are bad. I worry about it too because West Nile has occurred a lot here.

Big hugs!

amynicole21 replied: We've had several cases down here in FL. The mosquito trucks go through a couple of times a week, but they hardly make a dent!! Ick! I usually have 2 or 3 at a time myself, and I have seen a few on Sophia. It totally freaks me out!

jcc64 replied: You might want to check the precautions on the bug spray bottle, or check with your doc. I'm not sure you're supposed to use products containing deet on babies. Just another little thought on West Nile. Most people who succumb to the virus already have compromised immune systems or are old, weak, etc. Otherwise healthy people are able to fight it off.
I would be more wary of the chemicals they spray to get rid of the mosquitos, most pesticides are carcinogenic, including deet.

amynicole21 replied:
I think by a certain age (6 months????) you can start using products which contain less than 10% DEET. I am a bit freaked out about putting chemicals on Sophia, so I haven't tried any yet. At her 1 year checkup, the doc said just to use some that are labled "family" and it should be fine.

I make sure all pets and family members are inside when those trucks go by!! I don't even want to know what they are spraying

coasterqueen replied: I totally know what you mean!!!! We live in a wooded area too and near a river so mosquitoes are everywhere!!!! But the weird thing is as much as we have taken Kylie out this summer and have only used a DEET-free wristband on her, she has not gotten bit once. Knock on wood. I have a million times, but not her. Even a few times that we forgot to put the wristband on she still did not get bit.

She's not sweet enough, I guess.

aspenblue1 replied: I know I worry about taking Isabella outside also. My friend sent me this mosiquito remedy. I am not sure that it works but you may want to try it.

Put some water in a white dinner plate add a couple of drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dish detergent. Place it on the porch. It says the mosquitos seem to flock to it and drop dead from in about 10 feet from the plate.

MommyToAshley replied: wow...another person in our area has West Niles. A thirty-five year old man. And, there's another case they suspect of being West Niles.

I don't like the cold weather, but I can't wait for the first frost to kill all those little buggers!

coasterqueen replied: I've been hearing more about the virus around here in IL on our local news station. Hmmm. I, too, can't wait until the first frost to kill them off. I just hope they don't come back next year with a vengence! I hear often that some bugs will come back MORE than they did the year before.