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Babies and children

Pest control with babies and children

Infants and children are more sensitive to pesticides than adults, so the aim is to keep them away from treatments and residues. The American Academy of Pediatrics' technical report on pesticide exposure in children concludes that children's exposures should be limited as much as possible.[1][15]

The short answer

  • Keep children out of treated areas during the application and until it is dry; the label may give a longer time.[1][8]
  • Move toys, bottles and the baby's things out of the way before anything is applied.[2]
  • Put ant, snail and rodent baits in locked bait stations or completely out of children's reach.[1][10]
  • Lock pesticides up, keep them in their original containers, and close child-resistant caps tightly after every use.[10][1]
  • Check the label for an age limit. CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics say not to use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD on children under 3. EPA's guidance is narrower: some OLE product labels say not to use them under age three, but certain products with OLE as the only active ingredient at 30% or less carry no under-3 restriction.[5][7][6]
  • If a child swallows or gets into a pesticide, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, any hour. Call 911 instead if the child has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing or can't be woken.[12][14]

If someone may be poisoned

  • Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. The call is free and confidential, reaches your local poison control center from anywhere in the United States, and is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Have the product label with you.[12][14][8]
  • If you have pesticide questions that are not an emergency, the National Pesticide Information Center answers at 800-858-7378 on weekdays.[9][1]

Why babies and kids are more at risk

  • A baby's brain, nervous system and organs are still developing, and an immature liver and kidneys cannot clear pesticides as well as an adult's.[1][11]
  • Infants take more breaths per minute and have more skin for their body weight, so they can take in more.[1][11]
  • Children spend time close to the floor and lawn, crawl on treated carpet, and put hands, toys and other objects in their mouths.[1][2][11]
  • Children also eat and drink more for their body weight than adults, which can mean a higher dose of any pesticide residue per pound.[1][11]
  • EPA considers the potential for children to be more sensitive when it assesses a pesticide's risk.[2]
  • Pesticides are a common reason for calls to poison control. In 2008 they were the ninth most common substance reported to poison control centers, and about 45% of all pesticide poisoning reports involved children.[15]
  • Beyond sudden poisonings, the AAP report describes population studies that link parents' pesticide use, especially insecticides, with childhood leukemia and brain tumors, and link early-life exposure to organophosphate and organochlorine pesticides (mainly DDT) with effects on development and behavior. These are associations, and the report's advice is to keep children's exposure as low as possible.[15]

When can a baby go back in?

There is no single number of hours that applies to every product. NPIC's advice is to keep the baby out of the treated area until the pesticide is completely dry and the area is well ventilated.[3][2]

The label is the legal instruction, and some labels set a specific wait. Health Canada gives examples of real label wording, such as 'Do not enter until residues have dried' and 'Do not enter or allow entry into treated areas for 2 hours following application.'[4]

EPA gives households the same rule for children and pets: keep them away from treated areas as directed on the label.[8]

After a lawn or carpet treatment, put a blanket or other barrier between the treated surface and a child's skin, and have children wash their hands before eating.[1]

Around the house

  • Prevent pests first where you can. NPIC points parents to integrated pest management (IPM), which combines methods to prevent and get rid of pests in the least hazardous way, as one way to keep a child's exposure down.[1][9]
  • Read the label first and pick the least-toxic product that will work; the signal word (Caution, Warning, Danger) shows relative toxicity.[1][10]
  • Lock pesticides and other harmful products in a cabinet, add safety latches, and crawl around on your hands and knees to spot anything you missed from a child's eye level.[10]
  • Roach sprays and baits, rodent poisons, insect repellents, weed killers, pet flea and tick products and pool chemicals all belong out of a child's reach.[10]
  • Close child-resistant packaging tightly after every use, and if a phone call or the doorbell interrupts you in the middle of a job, re-close the package before you walk away.[10]
  • If you treat a pet for fleas or ticks, keep children from touching the pet until the product is completely dry.[1][2][10]
  • EPA notes that stores may no longer sell household mouse and rat poisons in pellet form, because loose pellets can poison children and pets. Put rodent baits in locked bait stations or completely out of reach.[10][1]
  • Never use mothballs outside a sealed, airtight container; children mistake them for food.[1]
  • Never use illegal 'insecticide chalk' (sold as Miraculous, Pretty Baby or Chinese Chalk). It looks like ordinary chalk and the dust gets on hands and into mouths.[1][10]
  • Keep pesticides in their original containers, never in food or drink containers, and store them out of children's reach.[1][8][10]
  • Tell babysitters, grandparents and other caregivers about the dangers, and teach children that pesticides are poisons and not to be touched.[10]
  • If someone in the house works with pesticides, cut down the residue they bring home; NPIC suggests washing and drying their work clothes separately from the family laundry.[1]

Insect repellent for kids

Always follow the label. Do not apply repellent to a child's hands, eyes, mouth, cuts or irritated skin; put it on your own hands and then on the child's face.[5][6][7]

Check the label for an age limit. CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics say not to use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD on children under 3. EPA's guidance is narrower: some OLE product labels say not to use them under age three, but certain products with OLE as the only active ingredient at 30% or less carry no under-3 restriction.[5][7][6]

EPA places no age limit on DEET for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises using the lowest concentration that covers the time outside, applying it sparingly, and taking extra care with newborns and premature babies.[6][7]

MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's health site, is more cautious about DEET. It says seizures may occur in small children who regularly have DEET on their skin for long periods, advises products with smaller amounts used for short periods, and says DEET products probably should not be used on infants.[13]

For babies, CDC also suggests clothing that covers arms and legs and mosquito netting over strollers and carriers.[5][7]

The AAP also suggests sticks, lotions or unpressurized sprays for children, putting repellent only on exposed skin and the outside of clothing, and skipping combination sunscreen and repellent products, since sunscreen needs reapplying often. If you use both, CDC says to put sunscreen on first and repellent second.[7][5]

When you come back inside, wash the child's treated skin and clothes.[6][7]

Store repellents where young children can't reach them.[6][7]

If you think a child is reacting to a repellent, such as with a rash, stop using it, wash the skin with soap and water, and call your pediatrician or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. Take the container with you if you go to the doctor.[7][13]

If a child gets into a pesticide

  • Call 911 if the child has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing or can't be woken.[14]
  • Otherwise call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 right away. It does not need to be an emergency: poison centers take questions about any possible poisoning.[12][13][14]
  • Do not make the child throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.[12][13]
  • If the product is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes. If it was breathed in, move the child to fresh air right away.[12][13]
  • Have this ready when you call: the child's age, weight and condition, the product name and strength, the time it happened and how much was involved. Keep the label or container with you and take it to the hospital if you go.[12][13][8]

Common questions

How long after pest control is it safe for a baby?
Until the treated surfaces are completely dry and the room is well ventilated, or longer if the label says so.[3][4][1]
Is bug spray safe for a 6-month-old?
EPA sets no age limit for DEET, and the AAP advises the lowest concentration that covers the time outside, used sparingly. MedlinePlus is more cautious and says DEET products probably should not be used on infants. CDC and the AAP say products with oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD are not for children under 3, though EPA says certain OLE-only products at 30% or less have no under-3 restriction, so read the label.[6][7][13][5]
What should I do if my child swallows bug spray?
Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 and don't make the child throw up unless you're told to. MedlinePlus says to give water or milk right away unless a provider says not to, but nothing to drink if the child is vomiting, having convulsions or less alert, since those make swallowing hard.[13][12]

Sources

  1. National Pesticide Information Center, “Pesticides and Children.” npic.orst.edu/health/child.html (accessed 2026-11-11)
  2. National Pesticide Information Center, “With a baby on the way... is it okay to spray?.” npic.orst.edu/capro/babyspray.html (accessed 2026-11-11)
  3. National Pesticide Information Center, “PestiBytes Episode 8: With a Baby on the Way... Is It Okay to Spray?.” npic.orst.edu/pestibytes/ep8.html (accessed 2026-11-11)
  4. Health Canada, “For everyone's safety, be patient after pesticides have been applied.” www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/product-safety/everyone-safety-patient-after-pesticides-applied.html (accessed 2026-11-11). Canadian regulator; quoted for its examples of label re-entry wording
  5. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Preventing Mosquito Bites.” www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/prevention/index.html (accessed 2026-11-11)
  6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Using Insect Repellents Safely and Effectively.” www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/using-insect-repellents-safely-and-effectively (accessed 2026-11-11)
  7. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org), “Choosing an Insect Repellent for Your Child.” www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Insect-Repellents.aspx (accessed 2026-11-11)
  8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Read the Label First: Protect Your Pets.” www.epa.gov/pets/read-label-first-protect-your-pets (accessed 2026-11-11)
  9. National Pesticide Information Center, “Pesticides and Pregnancy.” npic.orst.edu/health/preg.html (accessed 2026-11-11)
  10. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Reduce Your Child's Chances of Pesticide Poisoning.” www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/reduce-your-childs-chances-pesticide-poisoning (accessed 2026-11-11)
  11. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Children's Unique Vulnerabilities to Environmental Hazards.” www.epa.gov/children/children-are-not-little-adults (accessed 2026-11-11)
  12. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Insecticide poisoning (Medical Encyclopedia).” medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002832.htm (accessed 2026-11-11)
  13. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Bug spray poisoning (Medical Encyclopedia).” medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002763.htm (accessed 2026-11-11)
  14. America's Poison Centers, “Poison Control: Call Poison Help 1-800-222-1222.” poisonhelp.org/ (accessed 2026-11-11)
  15. Pediatrics (American Academy of Pediatrics), via PubMed, “Roberts JR, Karr CJ; AAP Council on Environmental Health (2012), Pesticide exposure in children, Pediatrics 130(6):e1765-e1788.” pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23184105/ (accessed 2026-11-11). Cited from the PubMed abstract.

Updated 2026-11-11. General information, not medical or veterinary advice. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.