12 Natural Home Remedies To Relieve Your Child From Painful Insect Bites
In this Article
Summers are here and so are the vacations. And this typically means more outdoor activities for the young ones and more worries for the mums at home! You cannot stop your little one from fun activities just because you fear he would get bitten or stung by an insect. But what you can surely do is be careful and well prepared to deal with an emergency should it arise.
Toddlers are active and forever in the mood for exploring. In the course of this running around and playing, it is common to get stung by an insect. The good news is that first-aid and home remedies heals almost all the types of bites and stings. They are natural and therefore you can be sure that they won’t cause any further harm and will fulfill the purpose.
The best thing about home remedies is that they are mostly natural and have been tested over the years. Hence, they are safe and reliable. However, if the condition and irritation persists, you should always seek medical attention.
Preventing Your Child From Insect Bites
Sometimes a simple ant bite can be extremely serious and therefore the best thing is to avoid being bitten in the first place.
Well, you know what they say, prevention is always better than cure. Sometimes, a simple ant bite can become extremely serious! Therefore the best thing is to avoid being bitten in the first place. Here are a few preventive measures you should take to safeguard kids from these insect bites:
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Mosquito Bites Prevention
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- Place a net over your child’s cot to prevent him from bites.
- Dress your child up in light colours when you take him out. It’s better if the clothes are long sleeved and covered.
- You could also apply an insect repellent cream during play time but be careful it doesn’t go inside the mouth or eyes.
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Wasp Sting Prevention
Make sure your little one is not drinking straight from soft drink cans. Wasps get attracted to sugar and thus may sting your child at this time.
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Ant Bites Prevention
- Ensure your child avoids disrupting lines of ants with their foot, hands or fingers. Children have this habit and may end up getting bitten instead.
- Teach your child to simply shake off an ant if it climbs in them or get rid of them by a flicking motion.
- Tell them to never squish ants.
Dealing with Ant Bites in Toddlers
An ant bite is painful and swells up the affected area. Ants can inject a particular type of poison with their sting that some children could be allergic to. It might give them rashes and breathing problems. Your child could also collapse – an occurrence called anaphylaxis – and this is one of the ant bites symptoms that warrants immediate medical intervention.
These ant bites remedies work extremely well and are known to provide instant relief:
1. Apply Vinegar to the Affected Area
Vinegar is anti-bacterial in nature and therefore helps in preventing any bacterial infection that occurs on the skin surface. It can soothe your child’s skin at once and bring him relief from the pain and irritation.
2. Place Tea Bags on The Bite
Tea bags contain anti-inflammatory properties since they contain tannic acid. Moisten the tea bags, cool them, and thereafter place them on the bite area as soon as possible.
3. Apply Salt on The Bite Area
Applying salt on the bite area helps prevent infections and swelling on the skin. Just mix some salt with water and rub the paste over the affected area. This will also help your child not scratch, thus ensuring that no transfer of germs takes place.
Give your child paracetamol if the pain is mild. If there is itchiness, an antihistamine medication prescribed by your chemist will work. However, if there is severe reaction from the sting, take your child to emergency care.
Dealing with Bee Stings in Children
The most common bee stings symptoms are barbs on the child’s skin at the end of a bee sting. They stay in the skin along with the toxic venom. Your child would be in severe pain and the affected area will swell up. If your child is allergic to the toxin, it could lead to severe side-effects.
Firstly, remove the insect sting carefully. Keep it for the doctor so that he can identify the repercussions. Do not squeeze out the sting but rather try to scrape it off. Then, use these bee stings remedies to provide relief to your child as soon as possible:
4. Use Crushed Ice
The first thing to instinctively do after cleaning the wound is to apply ice immediately. Leave it for at least 20 minutes as ice will help in numbing the pain and slowing the blood flow to the affected area, which reduces swelling.
5. Apply Crushed Garlic
Take two cloves of garlic and crush them to release the juices. Then, press it against the bite area. Cover it with a moist towel and let that sit for approximately 20-30 minutes.
6. Use Lavender Oil
Apply one or two drops of lavender essential oil to the wound. Lavender oil has certain properties that helps in neutralizing the venom immediately.
Alternatively, paracetamol will give immediate relief from pain. However, you should see a doctor if things don’t improve.
Dealing With Mosquito Bites in Toddlers
The most common mosquito bites symptoms are red lumps in the affected area. Your child’s face can get swelled up if he has been bitten there. Since mosquitoes are more active in summer, especially during dusk and evening, this is when you should watch out for them.
Use these mosquito bites remedies to soothe the bites and calm down your child:
7. Apply Calamine
Calamine lotion helps reduce itchiness. Therefore, just dab some lotion and rub it across to help relieve the itch and redness.
8. Dab Aloe Vera Gel/Juice
Aloe vera is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and is an excellent remedy for mosquito bites. Just use the fresh inner leaf of an aloe vera plant or dab some aloe vera juice. Both work equally well.
9. Apply Toothpaste
As amusing as it may sound, toothpaste works really well for providing temporary relief. Apply some peppermint or neem toothpaste to the area of the bite and allow it to dry for as long as needed.
Also, ask your child not to scratch the affected area as it could get infected. If the swelling and itching become severe, and also interrupt sleep, give your child an antihistamine.
Dealing With Wasp Stings in Children
Stings from a wasp cause a lot of swelling and pain. These are the most prominent wasp stings symptoms. However, they do not lead to any allergic reaction. Remember that wasps are very aggressive and thus may sting multiple times.
Be very careful while removing the sting. Keep the area cool by applying ice. Then use these wasp stings remedies:
10. Use Basil Leaves
This common kitchen ingredient has chemical compounds like eugenol that helps relieve itchy skin. Just roughly cut some basil leaves to release the herb’s natural oils and apply directly on the affected area. Hold it for a few minutes.
11. Apple Cider Vinegar
The acid in the vinegar helps neutralise the venom from the sting. Soak a few cotton pads in a small amount of apple cider vinegar and apply it on the area stung.
12. Use Baking Soda & Water Paste
This ingredient present in every household works for almost everything! Just mix a little baking soda (or otherwise known as sodium bicarbonate) with a little water to make a paste and apply it directly on the wound.
If you feel the wound is severe, use medication such as antihistamine and paracetamol for reducing swelling. However, if your little one complains of persistent pain or has problems with breathing, it is better to seek expert help.
Aside from these, your toddler may also suffer from centipede bites, flea bites or spider bites. Even though these bites are not life-threatening, they might cause a lot of trouble to your child especially if he develops allergic reactions to the venom. You must take safety measures to tackle the pain and inflammation. The above home remedies are best always kept handy, especially during the summer months.
