Insect bites are just a part of playing outside. Mosquitoes, ants, bees, and wasps are probably going to find your toddler. This leads to itchy spots that can turn into sores because of the constant scratching. It is best to treat these bites or stings right as they occur to minimize your toddler’s discomfort and minimize the chance that these sores will become infected.
Wasp and bee stings are probably the worst of the insect encounters. They hurt a lot. You can treat bee stings by scraping the stinger off the skin. Scraping is better than pinching to get the stinger out because you can actually inject more venom in to your body by squeezing the venom stack. Once the stinger is removed, you can treat the sting. One of the more common ways is to put some baking soda on the wound. You can make a paste with just a little water. Over the counter products are also available.
The one thing you do want to watch for is a severe allergic reaction that causes breathing problems. In that case, you want to seek immediate medical attention. If you already know that your toddler is allergic, make certain that an Epi-pen is available and up-to-date. Epi-pens do have to be replaced on a yearly basis.
Mosquitoes are becoming more prominent with the hot weather. The best way to prevent your toddler from getting lots of bites is to avoid their being outdoors at the time mosquitoes are present such as at sunset and sunrise. If there are a lot of them present, then you want to keep your toddler indoors. While there are many methods to deter mosquitoes, you do have to be careful to select the things that are also toddler-friendly and those might not be quite as effective.
You can treat mosquito bites with a little baking soda or anti-itch spray. If you find your toddler scratching the area a lot, you probably should cover with a band-aid to prevent inadvertent scratching. With excessive scratching, you will need to watch the area closely and make certain that it doesn’t turn into infection. You may need to take your toddler to the doctor if the mosquito bite doesn’t go away, gets bigger or looks irritated.
Ant bites can burn along with being just itchy. Make sure to wash all the ants off first because usually there is more than one. Then treat the area as needed to relieve the itch. If they happen to have stood in an ant pile, a soothing bath of oatmeal or an application of baking soda can help. Watch the area to make certain the bites don’t become infected.
Insect bites make the outdoors a little less fun. But you can help ease toddlers’ discomfort when they do get bitten or stung. A visit to the doctor is in order if the bite turns into something else.