Dieser Beitrag wurde geschrieben von Dr. Annalena Dehé & Dr. med. Lukas Dehé

Insect bites in children: What to do?

Find out how you treat insect bites effectively to provide your child quick relief. The practical tips from 12mintes will certainly be a great help. Read more ...

Dr. Annalena Dehé & Dr. med. Lukas Dehé

First aid is close to our hearts, emergency doctors by passion, parents of twins.

Summer is just around the corner, and unfortunately so are insects—especially mosquitoes and biting insects. It is hardly avoidable: mosquitoes often bite our babies. In the vast majority of cases, insect bites are harmless and heal without complications. In very rare cases, children may experience a severe allergic reaction to insect venom during their first few years of life—particularly bee or wasp venom. In this article, you will find practical tips to be perfectly prepared for summer and insect bites!

Table of contents

  • Treating insect bites in children
  • Insect bites on the neck and face
  • Removing a bee stinger
  • Protecting children from insect bites

Treating insect bites in children

Other children also develop an allergy only over the course of their lives, which gradually develops over time and with each contact—i.e., an insect sting from, for example, bees, wasps, or hornets.

In the vast majority of milder and harmless cases, the sting site shows

  • redness with increased warmth as well as
  • pronounced itching,

which is triggered by the venom and the associated inflammatory reaction.
Scratching and manipulating the sting site can further aggravate this local
soft-tissue reaction.

Mosquito bites in children – what helps?

After a mosquito bite—especially in young children,
who are not aware of the consequences of scratching—it may be helpful
to cool the bite briefly,

  • e.g., with a refrigerator-cold compress or
  • under cold running water.

Afterwards, the bite can be treated with a cooling insect bite gel. After a day of playing in the
sandbox or in the woods, it makes sense to additionally clean the bite area with a non-alcohol-based disinfectant.

What to do about insect bites in children – 4 tips

Here you’ll find 4 tips on how parents should respond after what initially appears to be a harmless insect bite:

  • Briefly cool the insect bite (relieves itching and swelling)

  • If the skin is contaminated, disinfect the puncture site (use a non-alcohol-based disinfectant).

  • Check whether a stinger remains in the skin; if present, it should be removed immediately

  • If there are signs of inflammation or if the child has scratched the area, disinfect these areas as well (use a non-alcohol-based disinfectant).

Special case: Insect bites in the neck or facial area

Stings on the face—especially in the neck area—as well as accidentally swallowing an insect always carry the risk of swelling in the airways. As soon as swelling occurs in this area, it is a critical emergency: the emergency services or an emergency physician should be called immediately.

What parents can do: In an acute situation, parents can try the following, depending on the location of the sting:

  • Keep the swelling to a minimum by cooling the area (e.g., with ice cubes) or drinking a very cold beverage.
  • If available, antiallergic medications such as antihistamines can also be administered if there are signs of an allergic reaction.

Other signs of an allergic reaction, in addition to severe swelling with skin redness and/or hives, may occur. This reaction may initially be limited to the area of the sting and then spread throughout the body as it progresses.

Remove a bee stinger: Here’s how!

In bees, the so-called venom sac is located at the very end of the stinger. After a bee sting, you should always check whether the stinger has remained in the skin—this is usually the case. Wasps, on the other hand, can sting repeatedly with the same stinger. If the bee’s stinger is still embedded in the skin, it should be removed immediately, as venom continues to be pumped from the venom sac into the body.

Here’s how to remove a stinger:

  • Secure the stinger, for example with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible at the sting site, but not too close to the end of the stinger.

  • Remove the stinger with a quick, jerking motion along the angle of the sting.

  • Then check whether the stinger has been completely removed or is still lodged in the puncture site.

How can children be protected from insect bites?

There are various recommendations for preventing insect bites.

The “right” Clothing Line

It makes sense to favor long-sleeved and long-legged Clothing Line, even though you cannot protect yourself one hundred percent with it.

Insect repellent spray

Please note that insect repellent sprays are not approved for all age groups. Some insect repellents can cause allergic reactions, so they should always be “tested” on a small, inconspicuous area of skin before being applied more extensively. For babies, the spray should not be applied directly to the skin. It is better to carefully apply it only to their Clothing Line. If you are unsure, you can of course consult a pediatrician.

Insect screens

Windows can be fitted with these screens.

Mosquito nets

This aid for cribs and strollers also provides a blackout effect.

We wish you a summer free from insect bites!

Our medical experts take the utmost care to formulate medical content accurately and clearly. This article is for informational purposes and does not replace medical advice. Nor does it claim to be complete. In a medical emergency, please call 112.

Dr. Annalena Dehé & Dr. med. Lukas Dehé
Annalena and Lukas are not only parents of twins themselves but also experienced emergency physicians who know what matters during medical emergencies. For many years, they have worked as emergency physicians on emergency response vehicles and a rescue helicopter, helping wherever they are needed most.

Mehr Informationen über Dr. Annalena Dehé & Dr. med. Lukas Dehé findest du hier.

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