Insect bites and stings

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Ant bites

What are the symptoms?
If your child has been stung by an ant, pain and swelling may occur at the site of the sting. Ants can inject a type of venom via their sting, and they are able to sting several times. Some children may be allergic to ant venom, and may develop a widespread rash, or difficulty in breathing. Some children have even been known to collapse.

How is it treated?
If your child only has mild pain and swelling, paracetamol may be given in recommended doses to ease the pain.

Bee stings

Bee stings have barbs on the end of them and they stay in the skin together with the venom gland (the bee dies after injecting the sting).

What are the symptoms?
Your child will complain of severe pain at the site of the sting, and usually marked swelling develops rapidly. Children who are allergic to bee venom are at great risk of severe reaction to bee stings, and may develop a widespread rash, difficulty in breathing and may even collapse.

How is it treated?
Remove the insect carefully and if it is dead keep it for later identification by your doctor. Squeezing a bee sting out will inject more venom into the wound. Scrape it off if possible.

Centipede bites

Centipedes inflict bites via front fangs. Although their venom is not poisonous, their bites can cause severe pain and swelling. Give your child paracetamol in recommended doses and if the pain persists, see your doctor.

Flea bites

Domestic pets are notorious carriers of fleas, especially in the summer months. Fleas can live in carpets and furniture for several months.

Special preparations are available for treating your pets, and the carpets and furniture should also be sprayed. There may be fleas in your house if you notice small, itchy red marks on the ankles of members of your family. The fleas jump up from the carpet, in search of a warmer host! If you have moved into a new house, and the previous owners kept pets, you would be well advised to spray the carpet against fleas.

Mosquito bites

Mosquitoes are especially prevalent in summer. They are more active at night, and also take advantage of not having a moving target while your child sleeps.

Children who are sensitive to mosquito bites develop very itchy red lumps at the bite sites. If your child is bitten on the face, this can lead to marked swelling. You can apply calamine lotion to the area to help relieve the itch, and sometimes an ice pack can help to reduce swelling. Try to discourage your child from scratching at the bite, in order to prevent infection. If your child has severe swelling and itching at the site of the bite, and this interferes with sleep, the short-term use of an antihistamine may help them to sleep, as well as reducing the itching.

How can I prevent it?
For a young baby, a net over the cot is the safest form of protection against mosquitoes. When taking your baby outdoors, make sure they are dressed in light clothing which has long sleeves and trousers. Insect repellent can be used on older children, but apply it sparingly, and make sure that they do not get it in their mouths or eyes. Roll-on repellents are preferable to aerosols when used for children.

Spider bites

Australian spiders, other than the funnel-web and red-back, are not known to be lethal, but bites can cause severe pain, swelling. See your doctor if your child’s pain persists, or the bite looks infected.

Wasp stings

Wasps are aggressive and can inflict multiple stings. Stings usually cause pain and swelling, but allergic reactions are not common. Remove the insect carefully and if it is dead keep it for later identification.

Beware of drinking straight from open soft drink cans when outside. Wasps are attracted to sugar and may enter a can. If a child then inadvertently drinks from this can they may be stung.

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