Mosquitoes
Before biting, the mosquito injects histanine, a poison that is almost harmless to humans and prevents blood clotting. This substance causes itching, and scratched bites become a site of infection.
If painful swellings appear on the child’s skin, the bite itches and does not give rest, it means that he was bitten by mosquitoes. After a couple of days, the reaction goes away: the skin stops itching and the swelling subsides.
First aid for children with mosquito bites
The bite site should be wiped with chlorhexidine or lubricated with fucorcin to prevent infection.
To relieve itching, you can use toothpaste or pharmaceutical preparations:
- Fenistil;
- La-cree;
- Fladex;
- Rescuer;
- Balm Deta;;
- Balm stick Baby Gardex;
- Balm OZZ
Before using medications, you should consult your pediatrician.
You need to lubricate the bites once an hour. If the child has been bitten severely, give an antihistamine.
Mosquitoes protection
If you know that your child has delicate skin and mosquito bites will not give him or you peace of mind, use mosquito repellents before going outside:
- Mosquitall mosquito repellent kit: Mosquitall milk/cream/spray;
- Mommy Care organic mosquito repellent oil for children;
- Gardex Baby milk to protect children from mosquitoes with sun protection;
- Gardex Baby spray
The following will help you get rid of mosquitoes indoors: mosquito nets, fumigators, ultrasonic repellers.
Midges
The mosquito makes a nasty squeak and it is difficult for it to go unnoticed, and the midge bites silently. Moreover, it can crawl under a hat or clothing. The midge does not bite through the skin, but eats the upper layers in a small area. The insect's saliva contains an analgesic that prevents the pest from being detected while it is feeding. But within half an hour after the bite, allergic reactions develop, including angioedema and anaphylactic shock.
The most common complication from a midge bite is abscesses with purulent contents and soft tissue swelling, accompanied by burning and itching. Scratching bites leads to infection and weeping wounds.
A midge bite has a number of consequences of varying severity:
- bad feeling;
- swelling at the site of the bite and adjacent tissues;
- pain at the site of the bite;
- itching and redness;
- increase in temperature in the affected area;
- chills and fever;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- increase in lump size and suppuration
Marks from a midge bite can last up to two weeks. From the second day, the swelling gradually subsides if it has not been infected.
First aid for a midge bite
When bitten by a midge, you need to urgently take measures to help prevent serious consequences, namely:
- Wash the bite site with cold water and laundry soap, except for the eye area and mucous membranes;
- wait until the skin dries;
- squeeze out the contents of the wound;
- treat the wound with chlorhexidine;
- take an antihistamine: Suprastin, Claritin, Zodak and others
Antihistamines help relieve swelling and relieve itching. It is permissible to use them within 3 days from the moment of the bite.
To speed up the healing of skin wounds, you can use Sudocrem or Levomekol. Apply the ointment 2 times a day for 5 days.
To protect against midges, use the same means as for protecting against mosquitoes.
Relieves inflammation and disinfects
Medicines for insect bites
If the local reaction quickly spreads and severe itching interferes, then you should apply a cream or ointment with a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory component. This principle is especially relevant for heavily scratched wounds. In this case, the risk of infection entering the blood increases. The following remedies will help you avoid this:
- Elidel. The active ingredient is pimecrolimus, which has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect and a very low immune response. For treatment, apply 2 times a day. Approved for use in children. Contraindication is individual intolerance to individual components. Price 1000 rubles.
- Fukortsin. To avoid infection in the scratched wound, you need to treat it with Fukortsin at least 3 times a day. This is an inexpensive solution that should be applied using a cotton swab. It is based on boric acid, so upon contact with the skin you will feel a burning sensation that quickly passes. Can be used in cases where mosquitoes or midges bite. Price 50-100 rubles.
Review
I never use mosquito bite ointment or gel until I've scratched everything until it bleeds. Only then do you have to cauterize the scratched abrasions with Fukortsin and apply any soft cream.
Anatoly, Moscow
On a note!
You can also cauterize and disinfect the wound using hydrogen peroxide or any alcoholic infusions of herbs.
Stinging insects: wasps, bees, bumblebees and hornets
In most children, the bite of stinging insects causes an allergic reaction of varying severity: from swelling at the site of the bite to dizziness, fever, vomiting and swelling of the larynx.
If an insect bites a child under 3 months old, consult a doctor immediately. The most dangerous are multiple bites to the head, neck, face and ears. The poison causes a severe allergic reaction and this condition is very dangerous.
First aid for children after a wasp, bee, bumblebee or hornet bite
The sting should be pulled out with tweezers as soon as possible. You cannot squeeze it out with your fingers: the poison will penetrate the body faster.
Wasps and bumblebees may not leave a sting, but the wound should be washed with soap and water and treated with chlorhexidine to minimize the spread of infection.
To neutralize the poison:
- do not scratch the bite;
- rub lemon juice or crushed aspirin tablet powder into the damaged area;
- treat the bite with lidocaine or menthol ointment
Help to reduce swelling at the bite site:
- antihistamines: Suprastin, Tavegil, Zodak, Clarotodine;
- Ointments and balms: Fenistil, Hydrocortisone ointment, Prednisolone, Advantan, Fenkarol,
- cold compress
Do not rub soil into the wound. This will not relieve swelling, but will promote infection. If the child does not have a pronounced allergic reaction, after half an hour the swelling will begin to subside and the pain will subside.
Features of fighting bites
For some, a mosquito bite is a small red spot that is a little itchy. For others, this phenomenon can not only cause a lot of inconvenience, but also pose a serious danger. The degree of damage and discomfort after an insect bite may vary from person to person. Many factors influence the severity of the consequences:
- Bite site.
- Tendency to allergic reactions.
- Age.
- The state of the body's defenses.
Redness and swelling quickly form at the site of a mosquito bite. Soon, if the body cannot fully resist, the source of discomfort increases.
On a note!
Scratching the bite site is especially dangerous, as this can cause infection. Through an open wound, viruses or germs easily enter the bloodstream.
There are many options for products that can be used to smear the wound and relieve pain. The medicine should be selected individually. Depending on the composition, they relieve redness, eliminate itching, disinfect and accelerate healing.
When you can't do without a doctor
Often, the consequences of stinging insect bites cannot be dealt with without medical assistance. In some cases you can’t do without a doctor:
- if two days after the bite the swelling does not subside, and the child is lethargic and complains of feeling unwell;
- Ambulance is required when suffocation begins, when the child has wheezing;
- An infant under 3 months of age must see a doctor, even if the wasp or bee sting did not immediately cause an allergic reaction.
Multiple bites to the neck and chest can lead to swelling of the lungs and larynx. Shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, speech problems, dizziness and loss of consciousness are a clear sign of the need for medical attention.
At the hospital, the child will be given an IV and an antihistamine will be administered intravenously. Hormones may be administered to eliminate severe swelling. If laryngeal edema was eliminated in a timely manner, the child will not be kept in the hospital for more than a day.
Pharmaceutical and cosmetic products against itching from mosquito bites
The unbearable itching after a mosquito bite is caused by the poison getting under the human skin. An allergic reaction occurs at the site of the bite. Therefore, the main actions are reduced to reducing the manifestation of irritation.
Effective pharmaceuticals
Among the numerous products produced by pharmaceutical industry enterprises are:
- Bepanten (plus) or D-Panthenol. Both drugs cope with various types of skin inflammation, including the consequences of insect bites. The drug is widely used in pediatrics and is approved for all ages.
- Fenistil-gel. The active substance (dimetindene maleate) has an antihistamine and antipruritic effect, relieves irritation and helps reduce swelling. Suitable for children over 1 month and adults.
- Psilo-balm contains the antihistamine component diphenhydramine hydrochloride. The balm is produced in the form of a gel, which cools and soothes itching, relieves redness and rashes. It is not recommended to use the drug for children under two years of age.
- Nezulin contains natural insect repellents. Cream-gel is used against mosquito bites to relieve irritation, reduce itching and swelling of the skin.
If you don’t have special gels and ointments on hand, any medicine cabinet will contain alcohol, iodine, brilliant green, potassium permanganate or alcoholic infusions of herbs (chamomile, calendula, etc.). These products will slightly reduce the itching from a mosquito bite and have a disinfecting effect, preventing infection from entering the wound.
If a severe allergic reaction develops, it is recommended to take the usual antihistamine (suprastin, diazolin, zodak, loratadine and others). In case of a strong local reaction, accompanied by an increase in body temperature, the help of a doctor will be required.
Cosmoceuticals
Ointments and gels that are not pharmaceutical products, but relieve itching after a mosquito bite, are sold in pharmacies and cosmetic departments of stores. The drugs are used if the reaction to bites is moderate. The following tools have proven themselves to be excellent:
- Gold Star (Vietnamese). A well-known product for solving skin problems is produced in the form of a cream or liquid. The product contains menthol and essential oils, which have an anti-inflammatory, cooling, antiseptic, and calming effect. The product is not suitable for everyone: its natural ingredients may cause an allergic reaction.
- Boro-plus is a universal cream used to solve a host of skin problems, including the consequences of mosquito bites.
How to minimize risks?
If you are not ready to travel to your dacha with a paramedic’s bag full of medicines and emergency supplies, take care to protect your area from dangerous insects in advance. Our specialists are guaranteed to clean your dacha from mosquitoes and ticks, and you will not have to apply ointments and sprays to protect against insects on your children's skin.
We spray the garden with professional, long-acting insecticidal preparations that are safe for children and pets. The work takes about two hours. Upon completion, you will be able to rest peacefully and not be afraid of bites.
Call the phone number listed on the website or fill out the feedback form. The company’s specialist will advise you on the exact cost of the insect extermination service and book an exterminator’s visit on a date and time convenient for you.
