Residents Change Outdoor Habits To Avoid Mosquito Bites

ARLINGTON (CBSDFW.COM) – With more than a dozen cases of West Nile virus reported in North Texas, residents are changing their habits to protect themselves.

Barb Arnondin lives in Arlington where two cases of the West Nile virus have been reported.

Arnondin worried when she heard it.

"I was scared," she said.

Her four-year-old daughter, Helena, is highly allergic to mosquito bites.

"She swells up really bad. It sometimes causes a low grade fever," she said.

Helena also has a weak immune system.

"She was born with some complications that developed into a weakened immune system. She's still trying to catch up. So, we just have to take extra precautions when we can," she said.

Those precautions include kid friendly mosquito sprays with 7 percent DEET, wristbands with Citronella and leggings treated with Insect Shield called "Baby No Bugs."

Arndonin, is used to helping mothers, through her website MetroMoms.com

She said the key is to tell the kids what they need to do to protect themselves without scaring them.

"So, you just want to work it into your routine, just like staying hydrated or wearing sunblock," she said.