How to treat: Remember to clean, treat and cover all wounds to prevent infection. Skin wounds should first be flushed out with soap and water, or cleaned with an antiseptic solution such as Band-Aid® Hurt Free Antiseptic Wash. This should be followed by the application of an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin® for Kids (both of which contain a mild anaesthetic) and an adhesive bandage.

When to seek medical help: If your child has a deep puncture wound that you are unable to clean properly, or the mishap took place in an unsanitary area, you should seek medical attention. Any wound that becomes red or exudes pus should be referred to a medical professional as soon as possible.

Insect Stings

Like cuts and grazes, insect stings are rarely dangerous. They can, however, cause a considerable amount of pain and distress for a young child.

Bites and stings can be easily avoided with a little care. Teach your child “bee etiquette”—keep still if a bee lands on you and let an adult know by slow movements, not by waving the arms about, which encourages bees and wasps to sting. Never swat and crush a wasp or bee, as this could incite nearby nest members into a frenzied attack. Bee and wasp venom contains an alarm pheromone (chemical message relayed between members of the same animal or insect species), that, when released into the air, signals guard wasps or bees to “sting and protect.”

Protect your children with an insect repellent if they are going to be attending a picnic or other event where stinging insects are likely visitors, and don’t leave lids off preserves, barbecue sauces, sweet beverages or fruit dishes that attract bees and wasps. Remember that stinging insects are also attracted by bright coloured clothing, andparticularly favour yellow. If your child will be outside at dawn or dusk, when mosquitoes are at their most active, make sure she wears clothing that covers her legs and arms.

How to treat: If your child has been stung by a bee or other stinging insect, you will need to stay calm and act fast. How you treat the sting depends on what species of insect has stung your child. Bees and some yellowjackets have barbed stingers that hook into the skin and remain there. These should be extracted as soon as possible as they continue to pump venom into the body for two to three minutes following the actual sting. Remove very gently but swiftly with your fingernail, the blunt edge of a knife, or credit card, taking care to extract against the direction of entry, to prevent further release of venom. (In the case of a younger child, have someone hold him while you remove the sting.)

Wasps have smooth stingers that remain intact on the insect, allowing it to sting repeatedly. If a wasp has stung, brush it off promptly and back away without waving your arms about.

To help calm the pain of an insect sting, apply calamine lotion, or an anaesthetic product such as Benadryl® Itch Spray, or Benadryl® Itch Stick Hurt Free Antiseptic Wash, both available from London Drugs. Since reactions to insect bites/stings may occur well after the actual event, you should remain vigilant for a day or so.

When to seek medical help: While most insect stings are painful, they rarely cause trouble beyond a few tears. However, for some children (and adults), an insect sting can be far more dangerous.

An allergic reaction to insect venom should be dealt with immediately. Although anyone can experience an allergic reaction to an insect bite or sting, a small number of people with insect venom allergies can develop life-threatening symptoms. These usually include difficulty breathing, weakness and loss of consciousness. Such an allergic reaction is known as anaphylactic shock, and can be fatal if medical assistance is not immediately sought. Call an ambulance or take your child to the nearest emergency centre if he is experiencing severe swelling, itching, pain or difficulty breathing after being bitten or stung. The same applies to an adult who experiences these symptoms.