Nasty Mosquito Bite: Anti Itch Recommendation!

Updated on April 23, 2012
S.S. asks from Douglasville, GA
15 answers

Hello mamas! My daughter is 20 months old and doesn't quite understand "don't itch" her nasty mosquito bites. Do you have any good anti itch spray or cream recommendations? Calamine doesn't work... we have all these poison ivy creams because my husband is allergic to it (last summer was a picnic) so we've tried quite a bit.

Suggestions are helpful! THANKS

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S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

i've got something called after-bite that works great. it's main ingredient is ammonia.
khairete
S.

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K.G.

answers from Fort Wayne on

My dd has a very bad reaction to deer fly bites and I make a paste of baking soda and goop that on then take an ace bandage cut it down of course and wrap it using tape to or a band aid to secure it. The baking soda will help draw out the itch and dry it out. you have to change it out 3/4x a day bc to soda will dry out.

2 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Witch Hazel works better than rubbing alcohol and doesn't dry out your skin as much.

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R.K.

answers from Appleton on

Give her a bath in baking soda water. You can also make a paste with baking soda and water. I live in Wisconsin and I am allergic to mosquito bites. They swell and itch and i get red eyes and a runny nose from the venom. I always carry a small bottle of baking soda in my car in mosquito season -- so not in winter.

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M.K.

answers from Columbus on

Toothpaste! Seriously!! I had read this somewhere years ago and once when we were on a trip my daughter got a bug bite or something. I didn't have bug stuff with me but I DID have toothpaste and low and behold, it worked!!! And it doesn't sting.

Of course, if she were older, I would recommend hand sanitizer but that stings a little bit.

Good luck!!!

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

In the health foods section at your grocery, or at your neighborhood healthy foods store, you can probably find a WONDERFUL gel in a tube, called SSSStingStop. No harmful ingredients, and very quickly effective for every sort of insect bite and many rashes. I do need to reapply every hour or so on really itchy bites, but there's a good hour of relief! Another product by the same company is better for longer-lasting relief from rashes and bug bites; it's called Florasone. These are the main go-to's that I always keep in my medicine cabinet.

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R.M.

answers from Houston on

Caladryl will work better than just calamine. It has benadryl in it along with the calamine. But try the home remedies (baking soda bath, rubbing alcohol, peroxide, etc) first.

One other thought... she may need some neosporin on the bite if it has stayed open for awhile. It will offer some comfort, as well as the infection protection. HOWEVER, having said that, it has been a very long time since I've had someone that age in my household, so PLEASE check with the pediatrician before using a product that a little one might not be ready for.

And if 20 months isn't old enough for caladryl or neosporin, please, no hate mail. Notice that I recommended a call to the doctor before using anything.

1 mom found this helpful

J.✰.

answers from San Antonio on

When my MIL visits Texas and gets bit, she swears that putting a q-tip of hydrogen peroxide on the bites as soon as the bite occurs helps tremendously. Doing this quick at the start will prevent them from itching and swelling, or so my MIL says.

I do it now for my son and it does seem to help. There is a product out there in the first aid section called "After Bite" which has ammonia in it I believe (reading what Suz wrote). This works okay or well also. BUT if you put it on after the kiddo's scratched the bite into an open wound, DON'T put it on. It'll sting and hurt!

Good luck. We are highly familiar with mosquitos here in TX. You can buy a bracelet that is mosquito-repellant. Buy cintronella plants. Buy AVON brand Skin-So-Soft and spray/rub that on your daughter's legs/arms. It's good mosquito repellant without harsh chemicals.

@OneCrazyLady: What brand/kind of deoderant does he use??

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E.M.

answers from Chicago on

If you've tried antihistamine creams, cortaid, and calamine lotion, there may not be much else in the way of creams that will work. And she's probably too young for oral antihistamines, like Benadryl. You may need to just put a big bandaid on it -- the square kind with adhesive on all 4 sides -- and hope she can't get it off.

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A.M.

answers from Phoenix on

Rubbing alcohol is a good home remedi for anti-itch releif. Just rub it on the itchy spot as needed. It works for me and my kids.
My husband also swears by deoderant. I don't know what chemical in the deoderant is but he's always rubbing it on his bug bites. :)

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W.T.

answers from Jacksonville on

Rubbing alcohol takes the itch away immediately. So does honey but it can be messy.

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

I 2nd the toothpaste advice. I did it last fall and it works amazingly well. I think any old toothpaste will do, not sure if gels work the same as pastes or not, though.
Cheap, easy, easily accessible. :)

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B.R.

answers from Naples on

We use Avon Moisture Therapy - anti itch spray lotion with oatmeal......that stuff is awsome and works like a charm! If you don't want to order from someone and wait...often times at flea markets you can find someone selling Avon with alot of products on hand. Good luck!

B.B.

answers from Dallas on

We use diaper rash cream for everything almost, I have benadryl cream, calamine, all kind but the diaper rash cream works best.

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E.G.

answers from Atlanta on

I have always had luck with benydryl gel/or creme just dab it right on there. The spray works really well too, but thats for more of a rash. Also, put a drop or two of witch hazel right on it. That will help dry it out. It you still can't get her to stop itching a. Watch to make sure it doesn't get infected, it so easy for it to. B. got teach her to scratch something else, when I was a kid I'd have pictures of cats (super allergic to them) and scratch at the pictures, or I would find an area that didn't have any rash or bites and scratch that. Gotta teach her almost to meditate... close eyes, deep breaths, think of something the opposite of itchy, and put her mind off of itching. I understand she is only 20 months old... Some of my tips won't work til later, but you can start teaching her now. If you think the bites are bigger than normal, or if she has a crazy reaction to one, don't be afraid of asking if there is a prescription for a much more powerful anti itch. Reme you can use. My sister had terrible reactions to Mosquitos growing up. Like one bite would be the size of half a golf ball (not kidding). There just isn't an over the counter medicine that is strong enough to help that. Also, I haven't idea if there is any connection, but that same sister ended up developing a severe reaction to bee stings, had to be rushed to the hospital a couple of times. Just watch, like I said no idea if one can lead to the other but it's better to be prepared if by chance it does happen to her. Good luck, I hopeshefeels better soon!

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