Treating Insect Bites and Stings

Do you know the signs of an allergic reaction to an insect bite or sting? Kids are always playing outside and they will get bitten or stung at some point. Mosquitoes, blackflies, and deerflies or horseflies are the most common bugs to get bitten by in the summer. There is also a chance that your child will get stung by a bee or wasp or get bitten by a spider and you have to keep an eye on them after they have been stung because you never know how they will react to it.

If they happen to get stung by a bee, you must get the stinger out as quickly as possible. You can do this by scraping it with a credit card or carefully picking it out with tweezers if you have a pair handy. Its important to get the stinger out because it contains a poison sac from the bee. If you spread the venom around the wound, the skin will become more irritated. After you have removed the stinger, you can apply some ice to the wound and give your child an antihistamine such as Reactine or Benadryl. If a wasp or any other type of fly, spider or bug bites your child, there will be no stinger left behind. Simply put some ice on the bite and give your child an antihistamine.

There are certain signs to look for to determine if your child is having an allergic reaction:

1. Wheezing or difficulty breathing;
2. Swelling of the lips, tongue or face;
3. Tightness in throat or chest;
4. Dizziness or fainting;
5. Nausea or vomiting.

Your child should seek urgent medical attention if the above symptoms occur.

Your child may have a mild allergic reaction if his/her skin develops red bumps, is itchy, and swells mildly. Itchiness can be treated with calomine lotion.

I have found an instruction sheet for the treatment of insect stings and bites and you can print it off at the link below. This would be a great item to display on your fridge for the summer months.

Insect Stings Help Sheet