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How To Treat Bug Bites On Infants

June 26th, 2010 Posted in Stinging Insects

No matter how much time you put into preventing bugs from biting your infant, some critters may still bite.

Investigating how to properly treat and react to bug bites on your infant will keep him or her safe, and may also save your baby’s life.

How To Treat Bug Bites or Stings On Infants

Getting bit, especially if you’re a baby with ultra sensitive skin, can really hurt.

Here are a few tips on how to treat a bug bite on your baby:

1. Remove Stinger or Tick
If a stinger is stuck in your baby’s skin, scrape it out with your fingernail or a credit card. Pulling it out with your fingers or tweezers could squeeze more of the venom into your baby’s body.

If a tick is attached to your baby, do not remove:

• By burning if off
• With petroleum jelly

Instead, remove a tick by:

• Using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the head of the tick close the skin
• Pulling the tick straight out of the skin without twisting or rocking it from side to side

After removed:

• Put the tick in a sealed container
• Show the tick to a doctor if your baby becomes ill

2. Wash
Use soap and water to thoroughly wash the affected area. This will help prevent infection.

3. Relieve
Apply an ice pack, calamine lotion or a homemade paste of baking soda and water to your baby’s skin to relieve swelling or itching.

Knowing how to treat a bug bite on your baby is also a smart idea if he or she is allergic.

How to React In Case Your Infant is Allergic

If your baby is bitten or stung, call an ambulance if you notice that he or she is:

• Wheezing or having trouble breathing
• Vomiting
• Developing hives or a rash on other areas of the body
• Showing irregular signs of sleepiness or confusion, possibly indicating shock
• Experiencing a rapid heartbeat
• Swelling at the lips or throat

While waiting for medical help

• Lay your baby down with the stung body part below the level of his or her heart
• Try to calm your baby, perhaps by cradling he or she in a blanket

If your baby is older (weighing over 33 pounds) your doctor may recommend that you inject a shot of epinephrine to stop a severe allergic reaction before the throat closes.

Make sure to talk with your doctor about your baby’s allergy. Develop a plan of action so things will run smoothly as medical help comes; fill your babysitter in on this plan.

Keep your little bug safe by sharing how to treat bug bites on infants with your friends and family.