Conference moira::parenting

Let's hear it for former west coasters!!!!!  :-)

Swelling that large is not normal.  However, (not that I really know...) but
I don't think it's a big problem, either (you mosquito knowers can correct me).

My spouse welts up almost that big, though the rest of the family doesn't.
We use a medicine on her which stops the itch quickly.  Rubbing or scratching
the bite makes it much larger.  Thus, after the medicine, it gets small or
goes away.  It's almost like magic with her; I hope it will work for your
little one.

Let's see, the one we use is an orange and white "stick" (small cylinder) 
and is called -- foo!  I can't remember.  Something like Bite Away or No Bite
or ...?  I'll put it in the title of this note when I find out, or someone
else may know what I'm referring to.  I got it at a Massachusetts drug store,
but had first seen it in Michigan.

      Carol

    I've seen two things for after-bite.  One is called After-Bite and is a
    liquid.  The other is called Rhuli-stick and is about the texture of
    chap-stick.  The first does very little for my kids, but the second
    seems to help with the itching a lot.
    
    Irene
    

    My son (who's 28 months old) has a similar reaction to mosquito
    bites.  I did call the doctor cuz it scared the heck out of me and I
    was told to give him benadryl to help with the itching and use
    hydrocortizone (sp?) on the affected areas.  It definitely made a
    big difference within two days.  
    
    To prevent them I now use a product called Skintastic.  It comes in a
    gel, lotion or spray and can be bought at just about any store
    (WalMart, Rich's, K-Mart, CVS, etc..).
    
    /kmu

>    My son (who's 28 months old) has a similar reaction to mosquito
>    bites.  I did call the doctor cuz it scared the heck out of me and I
>    was told to give him benadryl to help with the itching and use
>    hydrocortizone (sp?) on the affected areas.  It definitely made a
>    big difference within two days.  

Mosquitoes do that for me too!  1% or better 2% Benadryl cream helps a lot,
and for a lot of bites oral Benadryl (or generic) works too ... but I have
to dose myself for too many days in the summer when back east to be outside
a lot ... so I get too sleepy on Benadryl.  If this is a problem for
you or your child, ask your Dr. about one of the less sedating antihistamines
like Tavist-1 or Claritin or Seldane.  (Seldane works well if you can take
it ...)

Stuart

    Thanks everyone!  I have Benedryl I've been using and it does help but
    I didn't just want to "mask it over" instead of seeing a doctor.  I
    guess these 'skeeters just love the taste of her!!
    
    -Terri

    It might be this year's  bumper crop of mosquitoes.  I've been 
    bitten over the years but for the first time, I got a huge lump 
    on my arm from a bug bite.
    nmp

Did you know ....

The brand name Benadryl contains no alcohol, but the generics are up to 25%
alcohol??  Are you sleepy or drunk?  (-:

There's also a WONDERFUL new product out, from Johnson and Johnson that's 
called No more Burn, or Burn No More -- designed for sunburn but also good
for bites, scratches etc.  It has Lidocaine in it, so it's numbing.  I'll
never leave home without it (-:

-Patty

>Did you know ....
>
>The brand name Benadryl contains no alcohol, but the generics are up to 25%
>alcohol??  Are you sleepy or drunk?  (-: 

The FDA would not allow that much alcohol ... I believe the max is like the
low alcohol beers on the grocey store shelves at about 2.5% ... not enough
in themselves to make you drunk from  a few teaspoons a day and of no
proven medicinal value anyway.  (At one time it was supposedly thought to
help increase absorption.)

BUT that's why I take it in tablet form !  Fortunately more and more generic
(and brand name come to that) are taking alcohol out of their formulations.

>There's also a WONDERFUL new product out, from Johnson and Johnson that's 
>called No more Burn, or Burn No More -- designed for sunburn but also good
>for bites, scratches etc.  It has Lidocaine in it, so it's numbing.  I'll
>never leave home without it (-:

Lidocaine works for some ... for odd bites I use both the 2% Benadryl cream
(you often have to ask for it in Canada ... dunno if it's prescription in the
US) and benzocaine or lidocaine creams.  (Creams seem to absorb better than
oinkments by the way.)

Stuart

    Be careful with benzo and lidocaine creams they can send some adults
    and more kids into outer orbit.  
    
    meg, who reacts badly to both.

    Yup, my daughter reacts with *welts* to any -caine.  Treatment is
    4 days' hydrocortisone and *no sunlight* (no fun in the summer).
    
    Leslie

    
    You may find this odd, but if you have nothing in the house, a dab of
    toothpaste on the bite will take away the itch.  
    
    

>    
>    You may find this odd, but if you have nothing in the house, a dab of
>    toothpaste on the bite will take away the itch.  
>    

For a fresh bite, this makes sense, since the toothpaste will behave like
a poultice and osmotic action will draw out the mosquitoes "venom".  The
cooling "mint" of the toothpaste will help distract some of the discomfort.

Stuart

I'm quite certain that there was a LOT of alcohol in the stuff I had .... 
it listed it on the bottle, and the percentage.  It was greater than 10%.  The
Drs office knew it also, because my comment was something like he's passed
out, but he's itching like crazy ... when I saw the alcohol content, I was
stunned and added "well, or maybe he's just drunk". 

I think it was ShopNSave's store brand .... I'll have to check!

Now granted you're only taking a tsp, but in children under 2-3? their bodies 
can't break down alcohol, so the effects are cumulative, and take a few days
to wear off.  

Worth checking, that's all ....

-Patty

    I know about "huge" bites - I'm very sensitive to bites as is my little
    guy. I am allergic to bendryl and years ago was turned on to Rhuli Gel
    a clear cooling gel that does magic for bites and poison ivy - I swear
    by it