- With summer just a short season away, I thought we’d talk a bit about bee stings and your baby. Do you know what to do if your baby winds up on the business end of a bee, wasp, hornet or yellow jacket?
Dr. Marty Belson of Pediatric Emergency Medicine Associates in Atlanta has some tips for recognizing bee stings, what to do if baby gets stung and how to prevent stings. Let’s take them one at a time:
Bee-Sting Symptoms:
- Redness, itching, swelling and some pain around the site
- Less common are hives, itching and redness away from the site
- Severe allergic reaction may involve wheezing (difficulty breathing,) swelling deep in the throat or low blood pressure
What To Do:
- Remove stinger (if it’s there) by scraping a card across the wound. DO NOT TOUCH or SQUEEZE STINGER! Doing so will force more venom (poison) into the skin
- Wash the site with soapy water
- Reduce pain and swelling with cool compresses
- Administer appropriate antihistamines for hives and itching
- Call your doctor or 911 immediately if your child shows signs of an allergic reaction
- If you know your child is allergic to stings, always have an Epi-Pen handy, which is an injector that administers epinephrine for severe allergic reactions
Bee-Sting Prevention:
- Stay away from bee hangouts–flowers, garbage cans, picnic grounds
- Listen for buzzing, and look for bee hives
- Wear long sleeves and long pants when in grassy areas
- No bare feet or open-toed shoes on lawn or near flowers
- Wear light-colored clothing (dark clothes attract bees)
- Carry insect killer
- If attacked, protect eyes, throat and neck and move away quickly and quietly
- Destroy nests at night when bees are inactive
- Avoid strong or floral-scented perfumes and cosmetics
Corner Stork Baby Gifts wishes you a safe and Happy Easter, full of soft, gentle bunnies and no bees! As long as you’re “hare,” check out these adorable spring gifts for the new baby that just sprung up in your life! Chubby Rabbit is more plush and cuddly than you can imagine, and the “Bunny Boy Blooms” Plate is the ideal way for baby to hang out around flowers! That’s the buzz for now!