If your child is lost: It is never too early to teach your child what to do if he becomes lost in the woods. Older children should be taught to let you know where they are going, with whom, and when they plan to return.
Essential equipment includes an orange garbage bag (to stay dry if it rains. Be sure to make a hole for the face), a whistle to attract attention, a snack and a drink. Teach your child to stay on marked trails and to only venture into the woods if he has a buddy with him.
A child who has become lost in the woods should know to hug a tree, which provides shelter and comfort, and prevents her from wandering and being more difficult to find. If she hears a noise that frightens her, she should shout out her name. Animals are usually more scared of humans than humans of animals and most will seek safety away from the source of the sound.
Explain to your child that, should he ever be lost, you will have a search team out to find him. It is therefore important not to panic and run if he spots a stranger. (In June 2003, an 11 year-old boy became lost in the Utah wilderness for four days. Although he stayed on the trail, his parents had instilled in him the mantra,
Never talk to strangers. He therefore hid whenever he heard or saw people who weren’t his parents approaching.) A child should also be taught that a tree next to a clearing is the best tree to hug. If he hears a helicopter fly over, he should lie down in the clearing, near “his” tree, preferably spreading out the orange garbage bag, in order to be seen.*
#4. When insects are present
Humans are not the only species to enjoy a summer picnic or barbecue. Bees and wasps both find the aroma of foods irresistible.
Although insects rarely sting unless threatened, the actions they perceive as threatening are often common responses to invading insects. Waving the arms around or swatting, for example, is the perfect way to excite a bee or wasp and sustain a painful sting. If you are joined by stinging insects, it’s wise to remember that keeping calm is the best response. Bees are hard-wired to sting only when necessary to protect themselves or the hive, and stinging means the insect will die shortly afterwards.
Most parents would agree that the number one spoiler of an otherwise enjoyable outdoor meal is a bee or wasp sting. While most stings are painful, they rarely cause trouble beyond a few tears. However, for some children—and adults—a sting can be far more dangerous.
An allergic reaction to insect venom should be dealt with immediately. Call an ambulance or take your child to the nearest emergency centre if he is experiencing severe swelling, itching, pain or difficulty breathing. The same applies to an adult who experiences these symptoms. Most anaphylactic reactions occur in the first 15 to 30 minutes after being stung. Sixty percent occur in the first hour, and the remaining occur in the following three to four hours. If a member of your family is allergic to insect venom, be sure that someone has an epinephrine auto-injector such as the Epipen® or Twinject® with them when venturing outdoors. (Both devices are available from the London Drugs pharmacy.)
Preventing stings: Preventing insect stings is easy once you understand what attracts the insects and what provokes them to defend themselves. Both bees and wasps are attracted by bright colours and sweet, fruity or flowery aromas. Wearing colourful clothing and/or using perfume or perfumed lotions or shampoos is therefore not a good idea. Since bees see in the ultraviolet light range, clothes that light up under black light are especially attractive to them. If you are planning a summer outing that involves eating, and someone in your family is allergic to insect stings, you may want to view your clothing under black light. If it glows, it is best put back in the closet.
Certain food items are extremely appealing to bees and wasps. Sweet barbecue sauces, jams and jellies, popsicles and flavoured drinks all fall into this category. Opened cans of soda can be particularly hazardous. Stinging insects often enter the opened can when no one is paying attention, and sting in panic if disturbed. Many people have been stung on the lips or inside the mouth after disturbing a hiding wasp or bee. (Stings inside of the mouth or throat are extremely dangerous as they can cause severe swelling.) When drinking sweet drinks outdoors, be sure to pour the drink into a tumbler, where a visiting insect can be easily seen.
If you know you are going to be in an area where bees or wasps are prevalent, be sure to wear shoes (not sandals, and never barefoot), long pants and a hat. Since furry animals often steal honey, hair makes bees particularly alert and protective. Wearing a hat will minimize the risk of a sting to the head or face.
If an insect lands: Teach your child to “play statue” if a bee or wasp lands on him and never to swat it off or wave his arms about. The single most frightening thing to a bee or wasp is sudden movement, either from something it has landed on, or something in its immediate vicinity. Stay calm and try gently blowing on the insect to encourage it to fly away. If a stinging insect comes close to you, back off slowly and teach your little ones to do the same.
Never, ever swat a bee as it will produce a pheromone that attracts other bees in the vicinity. This pheromone tells the bees to defend themselves and the nest from danger and they will be more likely to sting you.
If an insect stings: Bees have barbed stingers that hook into the skin and remain there (this is why the bee dies after stinging). Up until recently, it was thought that stingers should be scraped out with a credit card, finger nail, or similar device. Research has shown that a better course of action is to pull the stinger out as soon as possible with your fingers. If ice is available, apply it to the sting, followed by Benadryl® Itch Relief cream or a similar product containing an antihistamine.
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