If a child encounters a bee, wasp, yellow jacket or fire ant, they are very likely to get stung. These stings cause severe pain and swelling. Young children are especially vulnerable. For most children the pain and swelling subside within fifteen minutes. However, a sting on the forehead can cause both eyes to swell and a sting on the hand or foot may result in swelling for several days. If the child's immune system is functioning effectively, this will be the extent of the problem. The type of bite or sting can be treated by applying ice or an anesthetic ointment.
If the stinger is still present, it needs to be removed using tweezers or a knife blade. Tiny venom sacs are usually attached to the stingers so care should be taken not to squeeze the sac when removing the stinger. Otherwise more venom will be released into the bite.
Some children, however, will experience a reaction in another part of the body that is far away from the bite or sting. This can be a rash all over the body resulting from a single sting. Or a bite on the hand may cause swelling of the lips or eyelids and a bite on the leg may cause the hands to swell. This type of reaction is known to the medical profession as a generalized reaction.
When it happens, it is a signal that the body's immunity against the venom is weak. This also means that if the child is bitten again in the future, a more severe reaction may occur. Generalized reactions are considered serious and a doctor should be consulted.
Although it isn't a common occurrence, people have died from wasp or bee stings. These deaths were caused by either anaphylactic shock or Swelling of the larynx. In the latter case, the swelling of the narrowest part of the airway obstructs respiration.
When a person is in anaphylactic shock all the small blood vessels in the body dilate, resulting in a quick drop in blood pressure. The person feels faint, starts to perspire, feels cold and shortly loses consciousness.
These are rare incidents, affecting only about fifty or sixty people annually, but parents should know about them.
Fire ants are mainly a problem in the southern states. Their bites hardly ever cause a generalized reaction. But these are mound-building ants and if a child accidentally steps into a bed and receives multiple bites, the total amount of venom released could be serious, especially for very small children. In this case, a physician should be consulted. Single bites can be treated with ice or anesthetic ointments. Aloe vera also works well.
Some caterpillars have poison on their feet and can leave a painful sting. This sting is easily identified as it has a row of tiny blisters with a red base. Treatment is the same as for single fire ant bites.
Another insect bite that can be of concern is a spider. Most spiders are harmless and hardly ever bite humans. The exceptions are the brown recluse and the black widow. Both of these are highly toxic and require a physician's attention. Parents need to be sure their children are aware of this danger and know how to identify both spiders. If there is any doubt a physician should always be consulted.
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