With the warm flower blossoms of the spring and summer months also comes the increased chances of encountering bees. Bees use pollen from those flowers to produce honey so they may be likely to leave their hive. Children are also more likely to be playing outside of the house and it doesn’t always require flowers for bees to be nearby. At the start of the season, parents should inspect their kid’s outdoor toys for bees and other pests. Tricycles, bikes and kids climbing toys that are left outside during colder months are especially susceptible to pests.
In the event that your child is stung by a bee, there are a few simple steps to follow to treat the sting and sooth the symptoms. First, calm your child down in order to remove the stinger safely. If the child or parent is in a panic, it is important to keep in mind that it takes several hundred stings to seriously injure or kill a child. To locate the stinger, look for an area of pain, redness or a small, pale bump on the skin. In the past, it was believed that a stinger should be scraped out with a finger nail, credit card, or something of the sort, but it is best to remove the stinger as soon as possible with your fingers. Current research shows that unintentionally squeezing remaining venom from the stinger into the sting site will not increase potential for allergic reaction. Next, wash the site thoroughly for several minutes and apply ice to the area as needed for swelling.
Although bee stings generally cause minimal discomfort, there are some quick remedies to ease itching: tea bag to the area, baking soda and water, unseasoned meat tenderizer and water, or over the counter insect anti-itch creams. When using home remedies, leave the mixture on the area for about 20 minutes then rinse it off. While extreme allergic, or anaphylactic, reaction is uncommon, particularly in children under 10, if your child experiences coughing, difficulty breathing, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, fainting or anxiety you should seek medical attention right away. It is not necessary to seek medical attention if you see a large, red area or experience itching in the area for up to 24 hours after removal of the stinger.
Even after inspecting your own yard, your child may encounter bees in outdoor public areas such as parks. It is important to talk to your child about what to do if they encounter a bee hive. One should never try to remove a bee hive from their property by themselves. Children should never touch or play near a hive as bees will come out to defend their home. While bees can sting in the dark, they cannot see in the dark. If a swarm becomes aggressive, retreating to a dark area such as a garage may help reduce the numbers.
While summer is a time to enjoy the great outdoors and the sunlight, taking simple precautions can help prevent the incidental bee sting from spoiling the fun. Whether playing at a park or riding trikes in your own front yard, it is best to avoid bees whenever possible and report hives to property owners so that they can be safely handled. Most importantly, never panic, but respond appropriately whenever a bee sting occurs.