BUG BITE GONE BAD? Swelling Is Huge!

Updated on June 14, 2012
S.S. asks from Allen, TX
29 answers

My daughter came up to me complaining that her arm itched.. It looked like a mosquito bite.
There were like 5 spots that looked a mosquito bite. Through the nite she kept waking up saying they itched.
The next day we bought benydryl and Some Waldryl Spray to put on it.

Today they are huge welps.. the bite is a huge blister looking but the actual " blister " is ROCK HARD.
She was completely Lethargic Yesterday. She slept until 10:45 am and ususally gets up at 6:30 am.

The area around the one bite on her leg is swollen huge. It doesn't appear to be a spider bite or Chigger bite.
It was not a bee or wasp sting.

Any ideas what this could be? We can't get in with our PEDI until tomorrow.

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S.H.

answers from Huntsville on

Has she had this kind of reaction to mosquito bites before? Maybe she is allergic to them.

I think I would take her to a walk-in clinic just to see someone sooner than tomorrow.

Did she have a fever or complain about any pain? Or does it just itch?

I hope she feels better soon!

3 moms found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

Might not be a bug bite at all. May be a staph infection. I woke up a few years back with what I thought was a spider bite on my forearm. Within a day or two my whole arm was red and the "bite" site was completely infected. I went to the dr and he immediately knew it was staph. Apparently they start out looking like a bug bite.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.B.

answers from Dallas on

West Nile Virus has been found in Plano. I'd call the pediatrician or even take her to Acute Kids' Care tonight.

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

Get you daughter into the pedi or an urgent care clinic TODAY. Could be a spider bite, may be a staph infection and not a bug bite at all, could be infected bug bite - staph/cellulitis. With the lethargy, I'd absolutely NOT wait until tomorrow ...

4 moms found this helpful
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A.S.

answers from Dallas on

The fact that it is hard makes me think that she has a spider bite. Your pedi wont bring you in on an emergency fit you in appointment??

The lethargy is what worries me, but then again she may be reacting to the heat, too...

3 moms found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I don't know what it is but I know that some bites do require antibiotic. Also, my aunt was hospitalized for four days once for a spider bite on her leg that required her to have IV antibiotic. Could you take her to a one of those take care clinics like Walgreens. I don't like that your daughter is lethargic.

3 moms found this helpful

☼.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I would call your pedi back and see if he can get you in right away. Or go to an urgent center. The lethargy and excess sleep are worrisome.

2 moms found this helpful
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E.M.

answers from Phoenix on

Since you live in a state with lots of poisonous critters, I would call your pediatrician's emergency line, poison center, or local ER right away and get their recommendation.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I also think it is a staph infection. Super important to get checked right away-esp if it is swelling like you describe.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Take her to Urgent Care then.

She is having a reaction, or there is an infection.
Also, it may not be a Mosquito bite.
And the bite is rock hard, and she is lethargic, and it is swollen.
This is not good. At.all.

TAKE HER TO THE ER. Now.
Don't wait until tomorrow.

2 moms found this helpful
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K.P.

answers from Dallas on

Dont wait for the PEDI tomorrow please go ahead and take her to the urgent care or ER to get it checked out. Anytime that kind of swelling occurs with a bite it needs to be checked out.

2 moms found this helpful
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V.P.

answers from Columbus on

That happened to my daughter one year when she was about 5 -- her lower leg swelled and was rock hard, and it was simply that she had gotten several mosquito bites all at once. The dr. gave her oral benedryl. A couple of nights ago (she's now 10) she got about 7 or 8 huge welts on her legs from mosquito bites and was itching like crazy. The welts were so big they looked like bee stings! The topical benedryl spray didn't help stop the itching, so I gave her 24 hour liquid benedryl -- within a half hour she stopped complaining altogether and hasn't complained of itching since. You may want to try an oral antihistamine or ask your dr. if that would be safe to try until you can get in to see her.

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N.A.

answers from Oklahoma City on

I would seek emergency help a "minute clinic" the ER anything. Try calling a local hospital and speaking with a nurse in oklahoma we have a hospital that has a nurse line. she may be having an AWEFUL allergic reaction or could be worse.

2 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I wouldn't wait. I would take her to Urgent Care if you haven't already.

She COULD be lethargic from the Benedryl. I don't know, I'm not a doctor.

The blister that is rock hard would bother me A LOT. I would have said "she needs to be seen NOW!!" to my pediatrician and if they wouldn't have taken us in - I would have gone to Urgent Care.

I know that Nicky was bit by something 4 years ago - what? we don't know. It bit his ear and it was swollen when he woke up, it got progressively worse, I took him to Urgent Care as it was a Saturday. By the time the doctor saw him (it wasn't but 10 minutes) it had progressed to his tongue itching and swelling (this was over a 5 or 6 hour time frame). when the doctor left the room to get him Benedryl. Then we stayed for 2 hours while they monitored him.

We never found out what bit him - even after they did a blood draw allergy test...

GOOD LUCK!! I hope she's okay!!

1 mom found this helpful

R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

My grandson in 8th grade suffered an insect bite late last week on his week long class trip to Washington DC, he woke up yesterday with a swollen face, fever and rash, and the doctor diagnosed him with impetigo, highly contagious and slow healing. It is caused by a staph/MRSA bacteria, the doctor said it was caused by the insect bite, left untreated he could have developed kidney failure.

Please get your daughter to an ER or urgent clinic ASAP to find out what is going on with her so she can get proper treatment started, even one day could be vital to her well-being.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

How can a pediatrician make you wait a day with symptoms like that? Take her to ER now, please.

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K.H.

answers from Richmond on

you need to take the child to the er NOW, this is a spider bite !!
K. h.

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A.C.

answers from Sarasota on

No idea what the bite could be but offer the following advice for future bites:
As strange as it may sound - I received this advice from an old pharmacist.... if you put a small amount of bleach or ammonia on a paper towel and wipe the bug bite with it - any bug bite or sting - it will take the swelling and itching completely away with an hour. I didn't believe it until I tried it on my son who has severe reactions to mosquito bites. Works like a charm and have used it ever since. In the past did hoemopathic remedies, benedryl, etc. all to no avail. Wouldn't try it at this point - as it has blistered already - but next time try when it's fresh.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Did you give her the topical or the oral Benedryl?
In this situation the oral would probably help more. When my kids get mosquito bites the locations all swell up. If I give them Benedryl close to the time they get the bites then the bites don't swell as much.

At this point I would take her to an Urgent Care, or Patient First facility or the ER. Worse case senario they think you overreacted, tell you to keep doing what your doing and see your ped. in the morning.

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A.C.

answers from Madison on

Exactly how my daughter reacts to mosquitoe bites; she's allergic to them.

Not much you can do. Give her Benadryl or Claritin--whichever one seems to help her the best; makes her the most comfortable.

We use a lot of natural products from Whole Foods, like anti-itch creams, and homeopathic remedies to help take down the swelling. Cold compresses will help as well. We also have an antihistimine we get from our naturopathic doctor that has worked wonders; takes down the swelling quite fast.

I've known some kids who have grown out of this allergy; so far, my daughter has not, and she's 12 years old.

You can also try putting Epsom salts in a bath, or try using Aveeno's oatmeal bath/nonitch for things like chicken pox, poison ivy/oak, etc.

T.M.

answers from Redding on

I'd still guess spider bite. I've seen spider bites get pretty swollen. I got bit on the elbow while lounging in the swimming pool.... that sucker hurt for a couple of days before it went down.

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I have no idea what has been biting me but it can be described as an itchy zit. Much larger than a mosquito bite and sooooo itchy!! Then the next day a big white center. I have three from two weeks ago that are still red but at least don't itch anymore.

I know that probably doesn't help but I figured if it sounds like the same thing you would know they do eventually go away.

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M.R.

answers from Dallas on

Get it treated before the infection spreads to her blood!

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K.B.

answers from Dallas on

You need to go to an urgent care place now. It's probably MRSA. This EXACT thing happened to my son. Don't google MRSA because you'll freak out. If she's healthy, she'll be fine. However, she needs to get on antibiotics immediately. The antibiotics are extremely strong, so have her take acidophiles once she's completed it to help her body recover.

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K.G.

answers from Fort Wayne on

my dd has a really bad reaction to deer fly bits we are talking the size of an egg kind of bite. I found making a paste of baking soda and water gooping it on then covering it with an ace bandage cut to size of course, doing this every couple of hours to draw out the poison. She may need to get on bactrim (sp) its an antibiotic for skin infections. dd bites would just ooze the poison out it was clear but it would just flow out while using the BS goop. Does it have heat coming off of it? if so that is a sign of infection, take her in to a quick clinic or peds asap. it will get better but stay on top of it. gl

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C.C.

answers from Dallas on

Go to an urgent care center. I can't believe your pediatrician office said wait a day for what is clearly an allergic reaction to some type of bite. Could even be fire ants, especially with the blister forming. My daughter has an allergic reaction to fire ant bites, so her reaction is always worse than others who get fire ant bites -- swelling, etc.

The lethargy could be from the benadryl. But it's best to get her to a doctor and let them tell you what's going on.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

It is in need of a doc visit. Nothing more to say. They will let you know if it's just a bug gite gone wrong but if it is a spider bite it might be saving her life.

My friend who is a fireman got bit by a brown recluse and let it go, he thought it was just a gug bite. Ge had to live in one of those oxygen tanks for almost a week to save his life. He only waited a couple of days once he got bit.

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A.L.

answers from Amarillo on

She probably has cellulitis and needs antibotics!1

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K.D.

answers from Dallas on

Could they be tick bites? Chigger bites tend to be very tiny and red, they look like a heat rash. Both my kids ended up with some of those this Spring, ick. I have an ugly reaction to mosquito bites, but it still sounds worse than that from your description. There is a possibility that she has a major sensitivity to them, so that could be the problem.

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