Mosquito Bites - Grand Rapids,MI

Hi. I just wanted to give you a suggestion for prevention...Avon's SSS(Skin So Soft) has worked wonders for me as a mosquito repellent. I too, am extremely allergic to the bites and so are some of my children. A little bit in their bathwater will keep them bite free (very little, as it is oily and will make the tub very slippery). I also put some in a spray bottle with some water (try one part Avon SSS, 3 parts water, adjust as needed). You can spray directly on the skin. I think there's camphor or menthol in it, whatever it is, the skeeters don't like it! And its safer than chemicals! PS. (I make a paste of table salt and water for the bites. By the time it's dried on the skin, I can usually brush it off and the bites don't itch anymore after that).

Also if you take a small amount of benedryl cream or if you have the tablets break one in half and put a little bit of water on it and smash into a paste form (works GREAT for bee stings too) I know you already took care of this but I just wanted to send some more info to you..

Roll on deoderant works for us. It shrinks the bite. We also used hydrocortisone cream for the itch. But the deoderant is what makes it go away.

my son also reacts harshly to mosquito bites. he gets large red welts and they are so itchy he will scratch them til they bleed in his sleep. thank God for oxyclean or i don't know how many new sheets i would have purchased over the summer!
i use benadryl cream on the bites or caladryl clear (seems to work the best for him). after a camping trip, i actually had to give him benadryl for a couple nights so he could sleep!
good luck! hope you find what works!

The Mosquitos LOVE my oldest daughter! Anti-itch Polysporin is fantastic, along with a dose of Benedryl when they're really enflamed works wonderfully. The Polysporin can be put on numerous times, but if the Benedryl is needed, I try to just give one dose before bed...my kids get hyper rather than sleepy from 'drugs' - so I try to limit as much as possible. Good luck.

Hi C.,
Boy, I don't wish to be you right now. Mosquito bites are very painful and when you are allergic to them (which sounds like your son is) it is even wrose.
I have suffered with this problem my whole life and all 3 of my kids have the same problem.
Other then prescription medication, we like to first use rubbing alcohol on the bit(which stops the itching), then we put cortizone cream on it (which helps it heal faster).
Sounds like everyone has given you good advise, you just need to find a combination that works for you.
If he keeps itching them and they get bigger....PLEASE take him to the doctor....the bits will be infected and he can be contagous with mimpotygo (not too sure on the spelling there, but your doctor will know what it is. I would get this all the time as a kid and share it with my friends....the joys of childhood...........).
You are being a good mother, not wanting to see your little guy suffer needlessly........trust your heart...
Hope this helps,
Lisa Jo

My daughter has the same problem. If there is room for the bite to swell...it does! We use Aveeno's itch cream to soothe topically, but I also give her Benedryl. It's true what they say, the more you scratch, the more it itches. That's because as they scratch they release the histamine and it just itches more. The Benedryl will help to inhibit those. And what I think you're thinking of for the bath is oatmeal. They sell it pretty much everywhere. Aveeno has a good one...look for the store knock off...it's the same thing and cheeper. Good luck! You may want to ask your pediatrician about a stronger anti-histamine if your little one doesn't respond well enough to the Benedryl!

Hi C.,

I know you have many responses already and I didn't read them all so I hope I'm not repeating. Our doctor told us to give the 2 year old some benedryl to help the swelling but for the itching I use Purell (or equivalent).

A few years ago I spent a couple weeks in the Amazon in Peru and was bitten over 140 times (we counted). The only thing that helped was the Purell. We've been using it ever since. As for the Amazon, if anyone has the chance to go, jump at it. Don't let my bites scare you off, they've always been attracted to me like that. My girlfriend left with five bites :o).

L.

We went to the doctors yesterday for this same issue. As it turned out... my daughter developed an allergic reaction, and then an infection caused by the allergic reaction. She had to take a steroid for the swelling and is now on antibiotics for the infection.

Watch the bites closely. If they do not reduce in size and redness, I strongly suggest a trip to the docs.

Best wishes,
J.

After Bite is a great thing to use - takes my girls' bites down quickly. Active ingredient is ammonia.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=after+bite&...

That's a link so you can see what the product looks like. It's available at drugstores, Target, etc.

Hi there,

Our two year old has gotten misquito bites this year and had the same reaction. The first time we were on vacation and called our dr after her eye was almost swollen shut from a misquito bite right above it. Our dr said to give her Benedryl every 4 hrs and watch her, if she didn't get better in 24 hrs to take her to see a dr.
Well, praise God, the swelling starting going down right away. It has happened a couple more times since then and we give her Benedryl right away.
HTH

I'm allergic to mosquito bites and have bad reactions too. Vinegar on a cotton ball, and held there should stop the itch. You just have to repeat too, so sometimes I try to tape them down.

i use benadryl cream. my dtr is allergic to them and they swell up and her dr said that if it got too bad that i could use hydrocortizone cream, but usually the benadryl cream works. sometime, if she has a lot, i will give her some liquid oral benadryl. hope this helps.

my kids are allergic to mosqutio bites. benadryl my mouth helps with the itch and swelling. also but a cordistone cream on it. watch for red streaks. if you see any get them to the doctor!!

I use acne fighting astringent with 2% salicylic acid. Stops the itch and takes away the swelling.

My almost 2 year old is allergic to the Mos. bites and get the same type reaction. I have started keeping Sting-eze in the cars and medicine cabinets, it works like gangbusters in reducing the itching and swelling fast. http://stingeze.com/ I found mine at meijers, you may have to look around in your area to find it but well worth the effort.
C.

Calemine takes the itch out go to your pharmacy and look down the allergy ilde or one of them has stuff for itching or masquito bits

Baking soda......use it in his bath, make a paste with water and apply to the bites.

I put a thick dab of Caladryl lotion on each spot, Calamine Plus also has itch reliever in it. Once I put this on my son stops complaining.

I use benadryl anti-itch cream! Works awesome and it is topical and over the counter!!

Good luck!

C.; yes, they sell a oatmeal bath that you can put int he water, my second son reacted to mosquito bites like that, its scary , but we all get itchy with mosquitos, they will go away in a day or two if its a mosquito bite, i would not worry too much however i would watch him closely for bee bites later in life, my son swells larger than normal with bee bites, cause he does that too with mosquito bites, just hang in there and you can also use a calamine lotion its in a pink bottle, it helps the itch, you apply it with a cotton ball, enjoy life D. s

I found it once on here and in Parents magazine: put roll on anti-perspirant/deodorant on the bite. It shrinks it and will be gone in 2 days. They say the aluminum salt does the thing. It has worked wonders for my child who swells to no end...

Apple cider vinegar helps with the itch. You could also try a bath with baking soda in it.

We are all allergic to maosquito bites in my family. You can try Aveeno Oatmeal bath to soothe the itches ... it seems to work quite well; even used it with poison ivy. Also, children's benedryll seems to help my guy a lot.

Homeopathic remedy: apis, made from bee sting, is good for the swelling- it comes in easy to use little pillules that dissolve easily in the mouth. available at Whole foods or Zerbos
lavender oil, rose geranium or calendula are good to remove the inflammation.

My son gets major swelling with every mosquito bite. I give him apis mellifica a homeopathic remedy internally and I apply lavender essential oil externally to the bites as needed. This works really well for us!

Benadryl spray or cream worked wonders!

Every one has given you great Ideas. Sometimes you just have to play around to find out what works for each child. My younger son has gotten bit so much one year when we were out that when I got him in finly he had close to 200 bites on his legs along.I did not notice all the bites on him till I got him in. Now if he gose out around dusks he puts on long pant so he don't get bit a much. the Thing I have to watch for are spider as we live in an old house. Today if he gets bit by one it looks like someone beat him in tht area. he swells up way more then a normal bite from the harmless spiders. I end up giving him a bath in backing soda and giving him bendryil(sorry can spell). hope all the advice helps and good luck