What mosquito repellents and after-bite treatments do you recommend a family to bring on vacation?

Repel : If you would like an effective option that is more natural & deet free then i recommend 'lemon eukalyptus insect repellent pump spray' by "repel" holds up better than synthetic options in studies by the us dept. Of ag, & the lemon eukalyptus plant based products are registered with the epa & recommended by the cdc for mosquitoes that carry west nile virus. Claims good for 6hrs, may need every 2hrs.

DEET 10-30%: Deet= gold standard of repellents. Use microencapsulated formulation. Max effective at 30%. Lasts about 5 hours. Higher concentrations last longer but not better. 10% lasts about 2 hours. If mosquito burden is high add Permethrin to clothes. For aftercare use dab of pramoxine. If many, use spot of 1% Hydrocortisone for itching. If very many I use 10 mg Loratadine each day in addition.

DEET currently most…: Effective. Unless one is in a tropical rain forest setting, a product with 5-35% deet should suffice. There are multiple formulations—sprays, creams, lotions, etc. The american academy of pediatrics currently recommends that children older than 2 months can safely use deet up to 30% concentration. For more info see http://emedicine.Medscape.Com/article/1088411-overview#a30.

DEET diphenhydramine: Deet is most effective, but precautions needed with children. Topical Diphenhydramine helpful for reducing itching.