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Bee Stings

Many parents worry about the threat of their child being stung by a bee. While bee stings are quite painful, they are usually not dangerous. To help parents deal with the threat of bees stings, the following lists contains ideas on how to avoid bee stings and advice on what to do if your child does get stung.
How to avoid bee stings:

• Avoid wearing anything that puts off a fragrance. Lots of children's shampoos, soaps and lotions give off a sweet smelling fragrance. Bees are attracted to things like flowers by their sense of smell. In order to protect your child, limit the use of sweet smelling products during bee season.

• Avoid brightly colored clothing. Although many children's outfits boast bright colors and patterns, it is best to dress your child in muted or solid patterned clothing during bee season. Bees are attracted to bright colors and floral patterns since flowers are how they make their honey.

• Always have your child wear shoes. Children can easily step on a bee while playing outdoors. While the shoes will not protect your child from encountering a bee, they will at least protect them from stepping on the stinger.

• Change your child's clothes if they spill something on them. The sweet scent that ligers from cola, candy or other food smells will attract bees. Even a small amount of food on an article of clothing will be enough to attract a curious bee.

• Limit your child's consumption of cola and other foods during bee season. If your child is outdoors and is carrying around a cola or a piece of candy, the bees will be attracted to the scent. Keep food consumption confined to the indoors if possible.

• Instruct your child to stand very still if a bee does land on them. Bees are not aggressive by nature. Even if they land on your skin, they will only sting if they are frightened. Avoid running away or making and sudden moves that could scare the bees. To scare the bee away without risking a sting, gently blow on the bee to encourage it to move on.

What to do if a bee stings your child:

• Remove the stinger as quickly as possible. You can safely remove a stinger by scraping a credit card against the skin or by using your fingers or tweezers to gently pull the stinger out.

• Apply meat tenderizer or deodorant to the area. Meat tenderizer contains a chemical that breaks down bee venom. Deodorant does too, only to a lesser extent. Apply either to the sting and leave on for thirty minutes.

• Apply a cold pack to the area. Ice or extremely cold water can work to stop the body's reaction the bee venom. Apply the ice for as long as your child can handle it, up to 30 minutes.

• Apply calamine lotion or a generic anti-itch cream to the area. These creams will not stop or break down the venom, but they can help relieve the itching associated with a bee sting.

• Give your child Benadryl or acetaminophen. Benadryl will help stop the body's reaction to the bee venom and acetaminophen will relieve any discomfort that your child's suffers form the bee sting.

Although it is rare, your child could suffer a more serious reaction to a bee sting. If this happens you will need to seek immediate medical attention. Signs that your child is reacting badly to the sting include hives, dizziness, vomiting and difficulty breathing.



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