Parents Magazine's issue for July 2007 has some great tips on caring for bee or yellow jacket stings.See whether the stinger is still in his skin by looking for a black dot in the middle of the wound. Remove it ASAP with a flat-edged object like a credit card, wash the area with soap and water, and then follow these steps to ease the pain and swelling.
- You can neutralize venom by applying a solution of meat tenderizer and water with a cotton ball. If you don't have this at home (few people do), try rubbing on some solid antiperspirant instead.
- Put ice or cold water on the sting, and give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- If the sting is itchy, give him an OTC antihistamine.
- Sever allergice reactions occur in only 3% of kids. Call your doctor immediately if your child develops hives or if he was stung more than 10 times.
- Take your child to the E.R. or call 911 if the sting is inside his mouth; he has trouble breathing or swallowing; vomits; becomes dizzy or faints; or he develops severe headaches, stomach cramps, fever, or diarrhea.
No one every wants their child to suffer a bee sting, so I'm pretty paranoid. We have an orange stroller, and I would swear bees come out of nowhere and start following us. So if you ever see me running down the street, odds are, there was a bee somewhere nearby.
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