As a parent, your primary responsibility and natural instinct are to protect your child. That’s what makes it so hard when something happens to them and they are hurt. It can feel like you’ve failed. However, the truth is that things will happen, you can’t be there to protect your child all the time.
That’s why it is better to be prepared and know what to do after an incident, such as a bee sting. It’s beneficial for everyone involved.
Of course, you can reduce the likelihood of a bee sting happening by educating your child about these insects and being vigilant for hives. If there are any around your home and yard you can learn more here about your local experts and how they can deal with the matter.
It’s worth finding out more before you actually need them.
Signs Of A Bee Sting
Bees tend to die after they have stung, that’s why they only sting once and they don’t sting unless provoked. Perhaps the biggest clue that your child has been stung will be the loud buzzing noise followed by your child yelling or screaming.
There is likely to be a burning pain at the site of the sting. It will become itchy and sore. The area is also likely to appear swollen and red.
What To Do
If your child suffers from allergies, as many people do, you should get them to medical aid immediately. It’s possible the bee sting will set off an allergic reaction which could be extremely dangerous.
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Remove The Stinger
The longer the stinger is in your child the more venom that will be introduced into their system. This increases the swelling, pain, and risk, of infection. You need to remove it as quickly as possible.
However, you must do this properly. It is best to use tweezers to extract the stinger. Trying to scratch the skin to bring the stinger out is likely to push it in further and allow more venom to escape.
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Wash The Area
You need to clean and cool the area. That means washing with a little soap in cold water. Then, place a cold compress on the area for at least twenty minutes. Renew it during this time if the compress starts to warm.
This will soothe the skin, reducing the pain. It also reduces blood flow to the area, limiting the ability of the venom to spread and keeping inflammation to a minimum.
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Painkiller
You can give your child an appropriate over-the-counter painkiller to eliminate any sting-related pain You’ll have to decide which one is most appropriate based on the age of your child.
This is only necessary if they are still complaining it hurts, a lot.
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Monitor
You’ll now need to monitor your child to ensure they don’t develop an allergic reaction of any sort. If they do it’s important to go straight to the emergency room and get them specialist help. You’ll also need to note the reaction for future reference.
