Toddlers Versus Bee Stings - What You Need to Know
Author: Dr. Anna Kaplan
Toddlers find everything interesting including bees, ants, and anything else that buzzes and moves around. If there are bees or wasps in your area, or fire ants, there is a very good chance your toddler will have a collision with one of them. It's best to be prepared.
Bees deliver venom through their stinger. If your child is stung by a bee, you want to get the stinger out as quickly as you can. Once you remove the stinger you should wash the area with soap and water. You should put ice on the area for 20 minutes at a time. If there is any redness, or your child appears to be having pain and/or itching, you can give him Benadryl at the appropriate dose for his age, and Tylenol or ibuprofen, again at the appropriate dose for his age.
Bee stings always hurt and itch. It is also very common for a local reaction to occur. This means the area around the sting will swell and get red. If your toddler was stung on the foot, for example, after stepping on a bee, the whole foot may become red and swollen over 12 to 36 hours. That is a local reaction to the bee sting. It is not dangerous.
You have to keep an eye on the local reaction. Sometimes a child can develop a bacterial infection after a bee sting, although it is very unlikely. It may start during the same time you would expect a local reaction, or it may begin after that. Some of the indications of an infection include fever, oozing, or pus coming from the area, and increasing redness and pain. Sometimes it is very hard to tell the difference, and you will need to take your toddler to the doctor.
Some people are allergic to bee stings. Not only will the area of the bee sting get red and swollen, but the person who has been stung can have a whole-body reaction, including redness in other areas, hives, nausea and vomiting, trouble swallowing and breathing, and lowered blood pressure. A full-blown reaction is called anaphylaxis and it can be fatal.
If your child has his first bee sting, and you see redness and swelling, and you don't know if he is allergic to bee stings or not, take him to the doctor to be evaluated. If you see anything that looks like an allergy, any symptoms beyond the area of the sting, you may need to get to the doctor quickly. If your toddler is having any trouble breathing, call 911.
The remedy for an allergy to a bee sting is called epinephrine, or adrenaline. If you know your child is allergic to bee stings, he should have an autoinjector called an Epi-Pen with him whenever he is outside where there are bees. Since he is too young to use it, you or whoever is taking care of him must learn to give the injection of epinephrine after a bee sting. You should follow your doctor's directions for what to do. Usually Benadryl is also given, as well as prednisone, if there is a significant allergy.
There are also allergy shots that can be given to de-sensitize a person to bee stings. If you live in an area where bee avoidance is difficult and your child is allergic to bee stings, you can discuss allergy shots with your doctor.
If your child is ever stung by a lot of bees, for example, near a hive, emergency medical care is necessary. A large volume of bee venom can make any small child very sick.
Wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets all cause similar reactions to a bee sting. They do not leave behind stingers, so there is nothing to remove. Fire ants are relatives of bees. Their bites look like bee stings, except for the fact that they can cause blisters. The evaluation and treatment is similar for all of these.
To try and avoid bees, beyond staying away from areas covered in bees, you can dress your child in light, solid colors. Avoid any fragrances, either on your child's clothing, or from cream, shampoo, or sunscreen. Bees are attracted to fragrance. Long sleeved tops and long pants help, as do shoes. You may get lucky and your child may never get stung by a bee. But you should be prepared if he does.
