Mosquitos

[admylin]

Has any one else heard that if you take extra calcium the mossie bites don't swell up as much? We've got loads of them already here in berlin and it's a case of close the windows even though it's hot or risk getting bitten. Ds is extremely allergic to the bites - the gel the pharmacy gives for the bites doesn't help much.

have not heard that but will bump for you.

found this:

"My experience with vitamin D deficiency was skin flare-ups with every exposure to direct sunlight. This continued for a couple of decades. I was unsuccessful in getting the proper diagnosis or treatment for my skin eruptions. However, when I started taking the vitamin, the allergic responses ceased. The other day, someone mentioned that vitamin D insufficiency increases sensitivity to insect bites. Strange enough, I noticed that I also became less sensitive to mosquito bites, but this theory has yet to be proven scientifically."

and this would support your idea as Vit D is important for calcium absorbtion so the two are linked.

Thanks for that, I wonder if it would be OK to just try it out with ds, just don't want him to end up taking too much of something as I know it can also be bad for you.

increasing your intake of Vit B helps. Marmite anyone?

Seriously, take a vit B complex tablet everyday, it can't hurt at all. i don't know why it works but it does.

vitamin B keeps the little buggers from biting in the first place.

would not give child supplements but try and increase it naturally in diet or by sun exposure.

I get allergic reations to mosquito bites. The only thing that works for me is to take-anti-histamines and to use Mosiguard which is basically a citronella spray (it's safe for children btw).

The anti-histamines really help with the swelling even if you've already been bitten.

HTH

Try to get hold of some window screens. Ugly, but effective. They're all over the US because they have lots of mosquitos, which also carry St. Louis encephalitis and dengue fever there.

I've tried extra calcium but saw no effect.

I'm a mosquito magnet who has to spray DEET all over me whenever in mosquito territory.

I have to put the german equivalent of mosiguard on ds if it's really hot and I have to leave a window open.
I'll try to get him some anti histamine at the chemists too. My SIL from Bangladesh also told me that she automatically takes anti histamine before going to bed so if one bites it doesn't bother her, I'd rather not be that extreme!
Nets over the bed would be the best thing but our cielings are only just solid enough to hold the lamps up (old building).

When you put nets on the windows and have them all open does the breeze not blow them in or do they hold? I've seen screen type things that you stick on with velcro but thought the breeze might tear/blow them?

The plug-in repellents are also effective. And I've also been told that if you keep geraniums on your windowsill they keep the mozzies out too!

No, the breeze won't blow the Velcro thingies.

I've used those before with GREAT success.

As for the nets, get one of those plant hangers - they're strong enough to hold the nets up.

So velcro thingies and anti histamine for just in case one gets through the door it is then.