Insect bites
It can be very upsetting for your child if an insect bites her, but rest assured most insects cause no harm and apart from an aversion to creepy crawlies your child should be fine with a little distraction! However, there are some insects that can give your child a nasty sting…
Bee and wasp stings
If your child has no known allergy to bee stings they’re relatively harmless. Bees are far less aggressive than wasps and generally speaking will not sting unless provoked or their hive is in danger. Bees leave their stinger behind after them and you may see it still attached to your child’s skin.
In contrast to bees, wasps don’t leave their sting behind – but this means they can sting more than once. Also, wasps can signal other nearby wasps to attack too so if your child is stung move her slowly and calmly away from where the wasps are to avoid antagonizing them further.
Treatment
- If a bee stung your child and the stinger is still attached, use a credit card to gently scrape it out – don’t use tweezers as you’ll likely just squeeze more venom out of the venom sac.
- Wash the area with warm soapy water and apply an ice pack to take down the swelling.
- The skin around the sting is usually swollen and the area will be itchy. Calamine lotion or a mild steroid cream will soothe it; your pediatrician may be able to recommend an antihistamine.
- Give your child an anti-inflammatory painkiller such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
- If your child gets stung any where in her mouth take her to the ER – stings can cause severe swelling in the mouth and it may affect her breathing.
- Some people are allergic to bee and wasp stings and just one can cause a sudden, extreme reaction called anaphylactic shock. Take your child to the ER straightaway if she appears to be wheezing or having difficulty breathing, if her lips and tongue appear swollen, if she develops hives, faints or complains of dizziness, or starts vomiting.
- If you know your child is allergic to stings make sure she always carries an EpiPen with her, and wears a MedicAlert ID bracelet detailing any allergies. Make sure other people looking after your child – including daycare providers, grandparents, babysitters, nannies and parents of other children – know your child is allergic, and show them how to administer the EpiPen.
Spider bites
Most spiders are harmless but some – such as the black widow and brown recluse spider – secrete venom that can cause serious effects. If you can, try to find and identify the spider that bit your child or ask her to describe it – the black widow is found all over the US and has a shiny black body with an orange patch on the underneath; the brown recluse spider is generally found in he south and Midwest, and is very small with a small violin-shaped patch on its back.
- Wash the bite with soap and water three times a day until it has healed, and apply antibiotic ointment to prevent infection.
- Use cool compresses to reduce swelling.
- Give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease any pain.
- If you know (or even think) a poisonous spider bit your child or she displays symptoms such as painful cramps, fever and chills, nausea and vomiting, take her to the ER straightaway.
- If you live in the southwest, keep in mind that your child may have been bitten by a scorpion. These bites can be lethal, so take her to the ER straightaway.
Tick bites
Ticks live in wooded areas and deer ticks in particular may carry Lyme disease. It’s most common in the northeast but is still very rare.
- Use tweezers to grasp the tick as closely as possible to where it is connected to your child’s skin and slowly remove it. Avoid pulling it out quickly, as this may leave its head behind, and don’t squeeze it if you can help it as this may cause any blood it has swallowed to flow back into your baby, increasing the risk of infection.
- Don’t panic if any part of the tick remains in the bite – it’ll likely work its way out in a few days (check with your pediatrician if any signs of infection develop).
- Wash the bite with soap and water and apply antibiotic ointment.
- Check the rest of your child’s body or ticks – be especially careful when examining her scalp, and don’t forget to check her armpits and between her fingers and toes.
- Watch out for a rash developing around the tick bite and possibly on other parts of your child’s body – this may indicate Lyme disease and can occur any time from one day to a month after a tick bite. The rash doesn’t itch but it may feel hot to the touch.
- Other symptoms of Lyme disease include headache, fatigue, light sensitivity, numb or tingling hands and feet, a fever, and meningitis. Call your pediatrician straightaway if your child exhibits any symptoms of Lyme disease since it can have serious complications later on if untreated.
Prevention
Use insect repellants suitable for your child to keep bugs at bay, and dress your child in light clothing that won’t attract insects. Make sure your child wears shoes at all times when outdoors and avoid using scented soap or lotion that may attract insects. Keep your child safe indoors by keeping screens in good repair. If your child leaves boots or shoes outside or in the porch or garage, shake them out thoroughly to make sure no spiders of scorpions have gotten inside them overnight before she puts them on again. Shake out clothing that’s been left on the floor overnight, or taken out of storage in a closet or your attic.
If you live in an area where ticks are known to carry Lyme disease, make sure your child wears long sleeves and pants if you’re walking through wooded areas or fields (it’s a good precaution to tuck her pants into her socks too) and spray her clothes (not her skin) with tick repellant. Keep in mind that ticks can be carried indoors by pets so check them often, especially in the head and neck area, and use anti-tick shampoo when bathing them.
The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.