Current data shows that the West Nile Virus outbreak seen this year is heading to be the largest outbreak since the virus was identified. See this article from CNN for recent information or the West Nile Virus page of the CDC.
How is it relevant to moms? West Nile virus is spread through mosquitos, so make sure that your children’s skin is adequately covered and that they wear insect repellent when playing outdoors, especially near mosquitos and water. If you are camping or hiking, insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin is a must; it can be applied to the skin once a day, avoiding the face and the hands, in children above two months of age. Make sure to wash off the insect repellent at the end of the day. Avoid using combination sunscreens/insect repellents because while sunscreen must be reapplied throughout the day, insect repellent should NOT be reapplied during the day. For more information, please see this statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics on insect repellents.