What To Do If Your Child Is Stung By A Bee
If you have a small child who has never had been stung by a bee before, you are most likely a bit apprehensive about what will happen when the occurrence does finally occur. Since bee stings are known to lead to allergic reactions in some people, it is important to be prepared for this in advance should it happen to your child. Knowing the symptoms of a bad reaction is key in getting the appropriate help. Here are some steps you can take to prepare yourself for when your child becomes stung by a bee.
Know The Symptoms Of An Allergy
Knowing what signs to look for immediately after a bee sting will help you determine the course of action to take in aiding your child afterward. If your child has difficulty breathing, feels faint or dizzy, appears unresponsive, cannot speak properly due to a swollen tongue, begins vomiting or experiences nausea, or breaks out in hives, they are most likely suffering from a bee allergy. Take your child to the emergency room immediately as an allergy can be fatal.
Administer Medication If Possible
If you happen to have an epinephrine kit handy because someone else suffers from an allergy, administer the medication into your child's outer thigh to help ward off the symptoms. This bee sting allergy medication will not harm your child, so it is better to be safe in administering it than skipping a dose because of the doubt they are having an allergic reaction. Bring your child to the emergency room after giving them the medication.
Tend To The Punctured Area
If your child does not display any of the above systems, tend to the area where the bee stinger punctured the skin. The stinger may be embedded in the skin. Remove it by scraping your thumbnail across the surface of the skin from the bottom of the stinger toward the top. This will help push it from under the layer of skin. Avoid using tweezers as this can cause more venom to be pushed into the puncture wound. The longer the stinger remains in the skin, the more intense the pain will feel, so it is important to remove it promptly. Use ice to reduce swelling after the stinger has been removed.
Continue To Monitor For Symptoms
Have your child rest comfortably for a bit after the incident so you can continue to watch over them for any symptoms of an allergy. If the bee sting location was an arm or leg, have your child elevate it to help reduce swelling in the area. Check that their heartbeat remains at a steady pace and that there is no severe redness or itchiness in the area of the bee sting. At any time you feel your child is suffering from a condition that you cannot decrease with natural methods, take them to the emergency room for an evaluation.
For more information about a bee allergy, talk with a professional allergist, like those at Oak Brook Allergists.
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