BUG BITES & STINGS
Prevention:
- Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom
- Do not use scented soaps, perfumes or hairsprays on your child
- Wear non-fluorescent clothing to help decrease the chance of a bee sting
- Apply insect repellent with less than 30% DEET every 3-4 hours to children greater than 6 months old (may need to be applied more often)
- It is a good idea to lightly spray the child’s clothing, avoid the child’s eyes and make sure the child’s hands are washed well to prevent rubbing in the eyes
LOCAL REACTION
Description: local inflammatory reaction (lasts 1-3 days)
- Redness, swelling/edema, itching
- Usually worse on the hands and face
- NOT an allergy!!! (unless it spreads beyond the site of the bite)
Treatment:
- Cold compress and elevation
- Topical treatments: Benadryl cream, anti-itch creams and/or hydrocortisone 1% cream 3x/day
- Oral treatments: Benadryl for itching if topical treatment isn’t helping
- If bee sting: can try meat tenderizer on the area of redness
SYSTEMIC/ALLERGIC/GENERALIZED REACTION
Description:
- HIVES (raised welts) all over!!
- Drop in blood pressure (dizzy or light-headed)
- Respiratory distress (swelling of tongue, mouth, face; shortness of breath/cough)
Treatment: (after calling our office)
- Call 911 or to Emergency Room immediately!!
- Epipen kit (if known allergy)
- Oral Benadryl
- Referral to allergist for evaluation
Watch for a secondary infection at bite sites:
- Usually occurs 3-4 days after the bite * Increased swelling, redness, firm and tender at the site after 3 days
- Red streaking away from the bite site
- Yellow or foul smelling drainage at the site
UPDATED JULY 2005
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