Reaction to Mosquito Bites

Updated on August 13, 2008
J.C. asks from McHenry, IL
20 answers

Has anyone else's children had strange reactions to being bitten by mosquitos? My 10 month old gets bitten and they immediately get large and red. Within a day or so they turn into hard white bumps, one is so bad it looks like 10-15 small white bumps all clumped together, yet I know it was a mosquito bite to start out with... Actually, sometimes he is bitten and the bites are normal and disappear, but other times he has this strange reaction??? Could it be a type of mosquito or allergic reaction?? any thoughts??? there are no other side effects, no pain, he doesn't itch them, etc...

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H.J.

answers from Chicago on

My son and I have the same reactions to mosquito bites. Try putting cortisone cream on the bites as soon as you see them, it will prevent the really nasty reaction.

It's good that they don't appear to be bothering him! My son has the same behavior. I put .5% cortisone cream on his bites anyway, to limit the reaction. it really helps.

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J.W.

answers from Chicago on

YIPEE! ! ! You are the first person that I have ever heard from who has a child with this reaction. For about 15 years, I have gotten the most dumfounded looks when explaining my daughters 'issue'. My daughter 16.5 has had this reaction her entire life. Sometimes the very hot, large hard red bump, sometimes no reaction at all. We were told by her infant pediatritian that is is an allergic reaction to certain types of mosquitoes saliva. He was from Kentucky and apparently this is more common in the South. He used to prescribe an anti itch oral med in case it bothered her which it did rarely. If she gets bothered by it now, she just takes an over the counter anti-histhamine (generic form of Benedryl)

Good luck!

J.

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D.D.

answers from Peoria on

Hello

That is actually how I react to spider bites. Could they be spider bits? They get really red, swell and end up with a white head. They itch and sting at the same time. Hope this helps.

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C.D.

answers from Chicago on

My boys had similar things happen until this past year (one is O+ and one is O- after reading other post I thought I'd add this). If they got bit, it would turn very large and run and hot the first day. It was so large that it would swell their eyes shut if it was on their face. It looked like they had broken limbs if it was by their knee or elbow. I brought them into the doctor because one time I measured it and it was 4 inches high. They told me it was just a mosquito bite and they were fine. They said to put benadryl cream on if I wanted to, and that helped lower the bite faster than if I had not used it. The next day, it owuld turn into a white bump type thing. I don't recall multiple white bump things though. My suggestion to you would be to take them to the pediatrician and let them see them so that they can document it in his records. They will probably just tell you they are fine like they told me. Luckily, my sons no longer have that reaction, starting this year. My sons are now 5.5 and 2.5 years old. It is odd. I read up that some little kids have a higher sensitivity to mosquitos than others and that this is common. I am very afraid of bee stings now....

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P.W.

answers from Rockford on

The emergency rooms and walk in Clinics have reported increase of bad reactions to mosquito bites this year. My daughter had a very bad reaction to one, requiring antibiotics. Another friend's daughter required hospitalization after a mosquito bite.

They (the medical community) thinks it has something to do with the recent flooding, however I am not entirely sure of the reason.

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J.B.

answers from Chicago on

My children don't have this reaction, but I do. I still have scars from mosquito bites I got on Father's Day weekend!

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P.H.

answers from Chicago on

When my son was around 2 and 3 he had welts the size of tennis balls, hot and red. The doctor told me the same as the other moms. He grew out of it in a year or so.

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S.B.

answers from Chicago on

This happens to my 12 month old, and even sometimes to my 2 yr old. If they are not going away within a few days you should have the pediatrician take a look. My doctor put the baby on an antibotioc because sometimes they have a reaction to the bites...

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E.B.

answers from Chicago on

The small bumps all together could be spider bites...

The large swollen red area is probably his immune system building immunity to the bite.

My kids have swelled up in the past...especially my daughter. Huge 2-3 inch areas of swelling and raised tissue. Sounds to me like you have a healthy son with a healthy immune system.

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K.K.

answers from Chicago on

My one daughter has the same thing!

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J.E.

answers from Chicago on

Yes this happens to my son too. I took him to the dr and we tried hydrocorizone and other creams that did not work. He scrathces so bad but the benadryl seems to hel and we also tried sarna creme but he reacts to the smell. Does your child ahve other food allergies or eczema? let me know when you get a chance thanks
J.

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D.J.

answers from Chicago on

My 6 year old daughter gets huge welts from mosquito bites, they are red, hot, hard, and huge. She has to have Benadryl, and Cortisone helps too. The first time she got one we went to the doctor it was on her hand, the whole hand, fingers too swelled and she was eating her breakfast but keeping her hand in her lap. She was only 1 at the time and when I opened her fingers up she cried and cried, I thought she broke her hand or wrist. Anyway, hers stayed fairly red for days, the white, I am not sure what that is. You should call the dr. just to be sure, and get an appropriate dosage on Benadryl for his weight, should he need it. For the person who asked about food allergies/eczema, my 20 mo. old son has eczema, and a milk allergy.

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B.

answers from Chicago on

Hi J.- I have 4 kids and 2 of them get what I call the "welts" from Mosquitoe bites (I don't but my husband does) I have personally decided that it may have to do with your blood type (this is my own theory) My hubby is AB+ and I am o+. It seems that the kids that are B have a larger reaction. I mentioned this to a friend- she also gets welts and she is AB+> I treat the bites the same as my other kids(the bites just look worse- they don't seem to be any itchier.
Good Luck
Beth

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M.K.

answers from Chicago on

If you decide to see your doctor, taking pictures of them in the stages you are describing may help them figure it out.

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B.D.

answers from Chicago on

These really sound like chiggers. If so, it will be there for a couple weeks and there is not much you can do. You can use meat tenderizer! yes-to alleviate the itch.
Prevention would be next in order..to avoid chemical sprays, dryer sheets tucked in to clothing and shoes are helpful. In the yard, clear brush and mow low as that's where they go. You can spray your yard, too.
You can tell if there are chiggers around by placing a black piece of cardboard in the grass edgewise. It they are there, they will climb to the top. They will look like tiny white or pinkish dots.
The chiggers don't burrow into the skin, but they will 'bite' like a mostquito. The human immune system does not let them feed, so they don't stay, but they leave saliva (for lack of a better word) that human bodies fight off -leaving a 'ball' under the skin. I think that is an allergic reaction. A bath or shower will rinse them from your skin.
Best of luck.

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G.H.

answers from Chicago on

Call the dr. You can't be to careful with this west nyle virus and GOD knows what else going around.

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J.R.

answers from Chicago on

This sounds EXACTLY how I react to spider bites! I am allergic to their "saliva" & the "little white bumps" that you're describing sound like an allergic reaction. I actually went to an allergist & that is the info that they gave me. I definitely would contact your doctor just to be on the safe side, but he should be ok. I mean, mine are itchy & they hurt for a day or two, but it's not life threatening (at least for me, anyway).

One thing that I would look out for (and you may want to bring this up to your doctor & see what he says), but MRSA is going around & so if your son DOES start scratching them & they become open sores, he would be more susceptible to MRSA. MRSA is caused from skin to skin contact through open sores.

You can find out more about MRSA on the following website:
____@____.com/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html

Good luck to you & your family.

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C.S.

answers from Chicago on

It sounds like an allergic reaction. When I get bites on my legs, they swell up, turn bright red and are hot to the touch without scratching them. I don't get the white bumps though; I would check with your pediatrician to see what you can put on them.
Good luck!

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T.K.

answers from Chicago on

I have always had bad reactions to bug bites. Many times I do not realize I have been biten until I see the large welt. I also get the bumps after the swelling goes away. I would mention it to your doctor but I have always been fine.

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K.S.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter had reactions similar to what you discribe. Talk to your doctor but my doctor gave us dimeatap it is an anti-histamine that given right away relieved the symptoms.My daughter now 30 has normal reactions to the bites but I might add is sensitive to all kinds of bites.

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