Protecting Your Baby from Dengue and Mosquitoes Through the Year

Mosquitoes are more than an itchy nuisance in India; they carry dengue, malaria, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis. Dengue cases surge in the weeks after the monsoon, roughly August to November, but protection is a year-round habit worth building.

Know when they bite

The Aedes mosquito that spreads dengue and chikungunya bites mostly in daylight, especially early morning and late afternoon, and breeds in clean, still water. The Anopheles mosquito behind malaria bites at night. Because the threat spans day and night, no single measure is enough on its own, so layer your defences.

Physical barriers come first

For babies, especially those under two months who are too young for any repellent, physical protection does the heavy lifting:

• Use a mosquito net over the cot and pram, even for daytime naps. A net is the single most reliable protection for a small baby.
• Fit screens or magnetic mesh on windows and doors.
• Dress your baby in light-coloured, full-sleeved tops and full pants during peak biting hours.
• Run a fan; the breeze genuinely makes it harder for mosquitoes to land.

Repellents: safe only at the right age

Insect repellents help older babies, but age and concentration matter:

• Do not use chemical repellents on babies under two months. Rely on nets and clothing instead.
• For babies over two months, paediatric bodies consider DEET up to about 30% safe when used correctly. Higher strengths don't work better, they just last longer.
• Apply it to your own hands first, then to your baby's exposed skin, never on the hands (which go in the mouth), near the eyes or mouth, or on broken skin.
• Wash it off with soap and water once you're back indoors.
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus is not recommended under three years.

Repellent coils and liquid vaporisers should be used in ventilated rooms, not sealed ones, and kept away from where the baby sleeps.

Empty the water, the step people skip

Aedes mosquitoes breed in surprisingly little clean water close to home. Once a week, empty, scrub and dry:

• Coolers, especially before and during the season of use
• Money-plant pots, vases and plant saucers
• Old tyres, buckets, pet bowls and the fridge defrost tray
• Discarded containers and coconut shells on the terrace

A weekly "dry day" for every water container breaks the breeding cycle far better than any spray.

Watch for warning signs

If your baby develops a high fever lasting more than a couple of days, particularly in dengue season, don't brush it off. Signs that need urgent care include fever with lethargy, refusing feeds, a rash, bleeding gums or nose, cold hands and feet, tummy pain or persistent vomiting. Dengue in babies can look mild at first and then turn serious quickly, so a fever in dengue season is worth a same-day check; ask your paediatrician whether a blood test is needed rather than waiting to see if it passes.