Pest Relief Treatment

An insect bite that quickly gets any child’s attention is a bite from a fire ant. Fire ants earned their name because their venom induces fiery painful sensation. When disturbed, fire ants become very aggressive.

To help you and your family avoid fire ants, you should regularly check your yard and your children’s play areas for the presence of the ants and their mounds. If you discover any fire ants, it is said to eliminate them or just make sure your children stay away from them.

Steps To Take If Your Child Is Stung By A Fire Ant

If you or your child is stung by a fire ant, apply ice to the area of the bite for 10 to 15 minutes and elevate the body part where the sting is located. To avoid any secondary infections from scratching the bite, clean and clip your child’s fingernails. Also, be sure to check with your child’s pediatrician or family physician for the correct dosage of an oral antihistamine to calm any inflammation or itching sensation.

Symptoms Of An Allergic Reaction To A Fire Ant Sting

A very small percentage of children that are stung by fire ants, probably less than 0.5 percent, experience a serious anaphylactic reaction. These reactions occur within minutes of a sting and vary in severity. Within minutes of being stung, a child will begin to experience weakness, hives, wheezing, dizziness, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, or confusion. If any of these symptoms occur, they should immediately be taken to the nearest emergency room. Once the sting wound begins to heal, be sure to watch the area for signs of infection.

It’s that time of year when the kids start going outside to play with friends and everyone starts to get out and enjoy the outdoor activities the warmer seasons bring us. Not too far into the sunny season, the insects come out to play with us and the bug bites and bee stings start showing up on all of us. It has been said many times for many reasons, knowledge is power! Knowing how to prevent and treat bites and stings from common insects, and knowing when to not overreact, can help keep our friends and families safe. Buzz Kill Pest Control feels that it is very important for you to know that infants and children may be more affected by bug bites and stings than adults.
The most common spring and summer insects found throughout Texas to be aware of:

• Spiders
• Bees
• Fire Ants
• Ticks
• Mosquitoes
• Scorpions

Many of us, especially children, love to be outdoors during spring and summer; the daylight is longer and the backyard, playground, or campsite can become the main spot for everyone to gather. When we are all out enjoying the warmer temperatures, the insects are bound to start biting and stinging. Some insect bites and stings are just annoying, while some are a concern and require special attention. Knowing how to prevent and treat bug bites and stings is best way to protect yourself and your family.

How To get Rid Of Mosquito Bites?

The usual reaction is a local skin inflammation that is red, raised and very itchy. If your child scratches the bite, it may become infected as well. Here’s what you can do for your children to help ease the itch and pain caused by mosquito bites.

Mosquito Bite Remedy:

• Apply anti-itch creams, like Calamine, as needed to help prevent scratching.
• Use anti-inflammatory creams like cortisone cream to help ease the inflammation and itching.
• If there is severe itching and multiple bug bites use antihistamines like Benadryl. Because they tend to make children drowsy, they work particularly well at night.
• Antihistamines like Claritin, Allegra, and Zyrtec tend to be much less sedating, but check with your pediatrician about the correct dosage and whether these products are safe for children.

Other Suggestions:

• Keep your child’s fingernails cut short to prevent scratching.
• Apply a cold wet compress to the area to ease discomfort.
• Have your child wear long pants and long sleeves (if the temperature is bearable).
• Make sure window screens are used if you keep windows open in your home.
• Use insect repellent to help prevent bites from occurring.

Choosing an Insect Repellent

DEET is the best insect repellent in terms of effectiveness against flies, gnats, chiggers, ticks, and other insects. The higher the DEET concentration the better it works. For children, however, the EPA recommends a concentration of 10 percent or less to prevent side effects and toxicity.

Scorpion bites can be quite painful, but are mostly harmless. The only dangerous scorpion, and probably the most venomous of all bugs of North America, is the bark scorpion. Bark scorpions are found in Arizona and New Mexico and throughout the west extending across the Colorado River into California.

Scorpions are closely related to spiders, mites, and ticks. They usually only sting to protect themselves when they are feeling threatened. Scorpions tend to get caught up in bedding or crawl into shoes, so be sure to check your child’s bedding and clothing often. Scorpion stings, without a serious reaction, can be treated by applying ice directly on the sting and over-the-counter pain medication. Bark scorpion anti-venom is only readily available in Arizona; therefore, any scorpion sting that shows signs of a bark scorpion must be treated at a hospital. Anti-venom has been shown to significantly reduce the effects of the sting.

In most cases, bee stings are just annoying and uncomfortable, and home treatment is all that is necessary to ease the pain. But if you get stung multiple times or you’re allergic to bee stings, you may have a very serious reaction that requires emergency medical treatment.

Bee Sting Symptoms

The majority of the time, symptoms from a bee sting are minor. You or your child may experience burning pains, a red welt, and some minor swelling. Some children may have a stronger reaction to a bee sting, including extreme redness and swelling that gets bigger over a couple of days.

Children, adolescents, and adults who are allergic to bee stings may have a serious reaction known as anaphylaxis. Approximately 3% of people who are stung by bees quickly develop symptoms of anaphylaxis, such as:

• Skin reactions in random parts of the body other than the area of the sting, including hives, itching and flushed or pale skin (almost always occurs with anaphylaxis)
• Swelling of the throat and tongue
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• A weak and rapid pulse
• Dizziness or fainting
• Loss of consciousness
• Convulsions
• Shock may occur if the circulatory system cannot get enough blood to vital organs

For most bee stings, you can apply an ice pack or cold compress to the sting area to soothe the pain and discomfort. You can also mix up a meat tenderizer solution by mixing one part meat tenderizer and 4 parts water, then soak a cotton ball in the solution and apply to sting for 15 to 20 minutes. A baking soda paste works well or you can use topical anti-itch cream such as Calamine lotion.

Speak To A Doctor About Bee Sting Allergies

It is always encouraged to communicate with your child’s pediatrician or family physician and ask about how to prevent bee stings and possible immunotherapy if you or your child is allergic. Multiple bee stings can be a medical emergency in children, the elderly, and people who have heart problems or trouble breathing. If you or your child is allergic to bee stings, be sure to always have an EpiPen readily available and use it exactly how your doctor has directed.

*Wasp, hornet, and yellow jacket stings are similar to bee stings, both the body’s reaction and the treatments.

Most spider bites don’t actually penetrate the top layer of the skin, and the majority of spiders found in Texas and the U.S. are generally harmless with the crucial exceptions of the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider, which are both harmful to the human body. Fortunately, spider bites are uncommon, in most cases, suspected spider bites are actually another insect bite or some unrelated skin condition.

Black Widow Spider Bites

When a black widow spider bites, it is said that it feels like a pin-prick, and some victims don’t even realize they have been bitten. Sometimes, if someone has been bitten by a black widow spider, they may notice double fang markings on their skin. The most common symptoms at the location of the bite are immediate pain, swelling, redness, and burning. Other symptoms may include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and severe abdominal pains.

Brown Recluse Spider Bites

Although black widow spider bites aren’t typically fatal, rare deaths have occurred from brown recluse spider bites and are more common with children than adults. At first, the bite of a brown recluse spider starts with a mild stinging, followed by redness around the bite, then severe pain that usually develops within approximately eight hours. Some that have had brown recluse bites have described a blue or purple color area around the bite, which is surrounded by a whitish ring within a large red outer ring in a “bull’s eye” pattern. A fluid-filled blister forms at the site and then sloughs off to reveal a deep ulcer that may turn black.

If Bitten by a Brown Recluse or Black Widow Spider, You Should:

• Seek medical attention immediately!
• Cleanse the bite wound and the skin around it with soap and water.
• Slow the spread of the venom by tying a snug bandage above the bite. Then, if the bite is on an arm or leg, elevate the limb to help slow the spread of the venom. Be sure the bandage is not so tight that it cuts off circulation to the limb.
• Apply a cold cloth to the location of the spider bite.

Once medical treatment begins, a doctor may treat the black widow bite with an anti-venom medication. Treatment for a brown recluse spider bite may require various medications.

Ticks are most common in grassy wooded areas. If you have any pets, be sure to check them for ticks often. Although ticks are usually harmless, they can carry Lyme disease, so it is still important to look out for them. If you, your child, or your pet is bitten by a tick, you’ll want to remove it from the skin immediately.

To Remove a Tick:

1. Take out a cotton swab or ball and a small disposable container.
2. Pour a small amount, at least 2 tablespoons, of rubbing alcohol in the bottom of the container
3. Dip the cotton in the alcohol and dab it directly on the site of the tick (if it is loose from the skin, dab continuously so it can’t move).
4. Take a second cotton swab or ball and dip it in the alcohol; press then hold it on the tick for at least 3 minutes (this suffocates the tick).
5. Once the tick has been suffocated, apply a dollop of petroleum jelly to the area covering the tick; let this sit for at least 3 minutes.
6. Then, with tweezers, remove the tick and clean off any excess petroleum jelly.If you have any complications or issues when attempting to remove a tick, be sure to contact a medical professional.
   Buzz Kill Pest Control provides pest control during the warmer seasons and all year round. We have an exterminator for all the insects, bugs, or termites that you’re trying to keep out.