Insect Bites The two greatest risks from most insect stings and bites are allergic reaction (which may occasionally be fatal) and infection (more likely and less serious). What to Do: Bee, Wasp, Hornet, and Yellow Jacket Stings A bee will leave behind a stinger attached to a venom sac. Try to remove it as quickly as possible. One way is to gently scrape it out with a blunt-edged object, such as a credit card or a dull knife. Wash the area carefully with soap and water. Do this two to three times a day until the skin is healed. Apply a cold pack, an ice pack wrapped in a cloth, or a cold, wet washcloth for a few minutes. Give acetaminophen for pain. For pain and itching, give an over-the-counter oral antihistamine, if your child's doctor says it's OK; follow dosage instructions for your child's age and weight. You could also apply a corticosteroid cream or calamine lotion to the sting area. A sting anywhere in the mouth warrants immediate medical attention. That's because stings in the mucous membranes of the mouth can quickly cause severe swelling that may block airways. You should seek medical care if you note a large skin rash, a large area of swelling around the sting site, or if swelling or pain persists for more than 72 hours. You should seek immediate medical care if you notice any of the following signs, which may indicate a serious or even potentially life-threatening allergic reaction: wheezing or difficulty breathing tightness in throat or chest swelling of the lips dizziness or fainting nausea or vomiting Spider Bites Most spiders found in the United States are harmless, with the exception of the black widow and the brown recluse (or violin) spider. Both of these are found in warm climates. Wash the area carefully with soap and water. Do this two to three times a day until skin is healed. Apply cool compresses. Give acetaminophen for pain. To protect against infection, apply an antibiotic ointment and keep the child's hands washed. If you have any reason to suspect your child has been bitten by a black widow or brown recluse spider, apply ice to the bite site and head for the emergency room. Symptoms include: a deep blue or purple area around the bite, surrounded by a whitish ring and a large outer red ring body rash muscle spasms, tightness, and stiffness abdominal pain headache or fever general feeling of sickness lack of appetite joint pain nausea or vomiting In the southwest United States, an unidentified bite may be caused by a scorpion. Take your child to the emergency room immediately. Tick Bites Check your children and pets for ticks carefully after you've been in or around a wooded area. Common types of ticks include dog ticks and deer ticks (deer ticks may be carriers of Lyme disease). If you find a tick on your child: Call your child's doctor. The doctor may want you to save the tick after removal (you can put it in a jar of alcohol to kill it). Use tweezers to grasp the tick firmly at its head or mouth, next to your child's skin. Pull firmly and steadily on the tick until it lets go, then swab the bite site with alcohol. Don't use petroleum jelly or a lit match to kill and remove a tick.