Can insecticides be used in a newborn's room?
Feb 18, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhou Xiaofeng
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, pesticides should not be used in rooms where newborns are present. Pesticides typically contain high concentrations of harmful chemical ingredients, such as pyrethroids and carbamates, which may cause symptoms such as dizziness and headaches upon exposure. Since newborns' bodies are not yet fully developed, inhaling pesticide aerosols may have adverse effects on their nervous and respiratory systems.
Generally, pesticides should not be used in rooms where newborns are present. The detailed explanation is as follows:
Pesticides typically contain high concentrations of harmful chemical ingredients, such as pyrethroids and carbamates. Exposure to these substances may cause dizziness, headaches, and even neurological abnormalities. Since newborns' bodies are not yet fully developed—particularly their nervous and immune systems—they are more sensitive to pesticides. Long-term or excessive inhalation of pesticide sprays can adversely affect the nervous and respiratory systems of newborns.
In addition, a newborn's skin is thin and delicate. If pesticides are sprayed on surfaces or floors inside the room, chemical substances from the pesticide may be absorbed into the body through the skin when the newborn comes into contact with these surfaces, leading to skin allergies, redness, swelling, itching, and other discomforts.
It is recommended to use physical methods to repel insects in daily life, such as mosquito nets and electric fly swatters. If pesticides are used in other rooms, adequate ventilation should be ensured after spraying to allow complete dissipation of harmful gases before allowing the newborn to enter the space.
