By: Shanna McGinnis, MD
I love almost all things summer – backyard cookouts with family and friends, sparklers on the Fourth of July, running through the sprinkler on a hot day. But nothing can ruin summer fun faster than pesky insects and bugs. Most insects are just a nuisance, but some can cause allergic reaction or make your children sick. Follow these tips for a fun-filled and relatively bug-free summer.
Biting insects include mosquitos, chiggers, fleas, horseflies, deer flies, gnats, fire ants, blister beetles, and even centipedes, to name a few. Mosquitos are probably the most notorious of the group and although they can rarely carry blood-borne illnesses, their bites are more of an annoyance than anything. Bites from these critters can result in redness and localized swelling as well as itching. This type of allergic reaction is generally due to histamine release triggered by the bug’s saliva or venom. The redness and swelling usually is not a sign of infection. Benadryl, which is an oral antihistamine, can relieve itching. Other helpful remedies include a topical steroid cream, like hydrocortisone 1% cream, or a paste made from baking soda and water. Keep fingernails trimmed and discourage scratching as this can promote infection. If you notice spreading redness or red streaks after 24-48 hours, contact your doctor.
Tick bites seem to raise particular concern with parents, probably for two reasons. First, tick bites are usually painless and do not itch. For this reason, they can be overlooked for days. The other reason tick bites are concerning is their ability to transmit disease. Ticks can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis. The first two are rare in Kentucky, but if you plan to travel to the northeast, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or northern California this summer, you could be at risk. That being said, the risk of Lyme disease is less than 2% in high risk areas followed a deer tick bite. If your child spends time outdoors where ticks are abundant, check their skin at the end of the day. If you find a tick, use tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin on its head. Wash the area with soap and water after removal. If you are unable to remove the head, fever or rash develop in the 2 weeks following, or there is any sign of infection at the site of the bite, call your doctor.
Fortunately, there is help to prevent bites from ticks, mosquitos, and other biting insects. Insect repellents containing up to 30% DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) is considered both safe and effective for children over 2 months. Products with higher percentages of DEET provide longer protection; however, products with greater than 30% DEET do not offer any additional protection. Products with 10% DEET provide about 2 hours of protection versus 30% DEET, which provides 6 hours of protection. Always read product labels carefully to know the recommended time to reapply. There are some natural products and home remedies that contain citronella, eucalyptus, cedar, and soybean oils or extracts. These products are considered safe and some studies have compared their duration of effectiveness to that of 10% DEET. Products containing permethrin are very effective against ticks, but should only be applied to clothing, not skin.
Unfortunately, insect repellents are not helpful when it comes to stinging insects such as bees, wasps, and hornets. They inject venom into the skin causing pain, itching, swelling, and redness at the site. Honey bees often leave their stinger behind. The stinger can be removed by scraping it with the edge of a credit card, but no worries if you can’t get it out. It will come out on its own as the skin heals. To control the pain and swelling, a cotton ball soaked in a baking soda and water solution can be applied for 20 minutes immediately following the sting. For symptomatic control of itching and swelling during the subsequent days, hydrocortisone 1% cream or Benadryl can be used. In addition, avoid areas with trash that attract insects and do not wear floral clothing or scents that may attract stinging insects. Anaphylactic reactions to bee stings occur in 4 of every 1000 children and are responsible for 50 to 100 deaths per year in children. If your child has a known history of anaphylaxis to stinging insects, always keep an Epi-pen and Benadryl handy. If your child experiences a severe reaction for the first time in response to a stinging insect, call 911 immediately.
Tell the bugs to buzz off this summer so you can spend your days and nights making great memories with your family.