Those of you who live in mosquito heavy areas

[ComradeJing]

We've moved to Shanghai and out where we are the mozzies are terrible. DD can't go outside without getting bitten even for a few moments and the bites are coming up VERY large (like size of a 5 to 10p piece) and staying for ages.

What are your best tips for keeping children bite free if you live in heavy mozzie areas?

We just spray the kids with repellant from the SOS clinic.
Treatment of bites - Vic's vapour rub from the UK is good and there is a very similar Chinese product - smells the same. I put that on my bites and it stops them itching.
If I have a bad reaction then I take clarityn, so I imagine you would need an anti-histamine which is suitable for young children.

Wait, wait, wait... there's an SOS clinic here??

I LOVED my Dr at SOS Beijing. She said they just had an office here, not a clinic. PLEASE tell me she lied!

What's the spray called please Shanghai Diva?

Get some Mustela - it's french, natural ingredients and stinks to high heaven but it works. We lived in a dengue area and used it for about 3 years.

I use Rid. It's an Aussie make. They have a kids version. Small amount of deet but if you are prone then I think it's fine. My youngest gets bitten every day. My oldest has had about two bites in the last two years!
If you want something more natural then I know people that swear by the Avon product. Skin soft? Can't remember proper name but if you google you will find it. Also know somebody that mixes baby oil and a few drops of tea tree oil.
Good luck! If you can find White Flower Ointment ( I get it in 7-11 in HK or Watsons) that's very good for the itch. Xx

Argh! Just typed message and lost it!
In brief then-
Rid. Aussie make. For kids but contains deet. Works a treat.
Avon skin so soft. People swear by it.
Baby oil mixed with tea tree drops.

White flower ointment to take away itch. I buy in Watsons or 7-11.

Good luck!!

Lost message turned up then! That's a first

Eat B12 supplements too or Marmite? on a regular basis. I'm the only one not getting bitten this summer and I'm taking b12 complex daily ( have been for months now) Not that our mosquitos can compare with the number you in Shanghai. Good luck, I also like the Skin so soft repellant in a spray can for Dd.

Off was what we used in Thailand. If you do get bitten, tiger balm or similar takes the itch out.
Not sure if you can get them, but we had some machines called black holes. They plug in and attract the mozzies which are killed and collected in a bag.
There is an overwhelming sense of satisfaction when you empty 300gm of dead mosquito.

Thank you for all of the different advice, it's really appreciated.

I'll have a look out for the different products when I'm in Aus next week or HK in August.

The spray we get from SOS is called Deep Woods.
Have also heard that the Avon cream is good - apparently it's used by the UK military.

Sorry to get your hope up about SOS - i live in Nanjing, not Shanghai.

I use Avon skin so soft or something like that, don't know if you can get it there though. it really does the trick!