What to do if a child is bitten by a flea, photo bites
Content
Fleas belong to the blood-sucking parasites. Due to the nature of penetration into the wound, parasite bites very painful and provoke the appearance of allergic reactions. This is especially acute in children, which aggravate the problem of combing, which leads to secondary infection.Flea bites in children in the photo will help identify the culprit and take the right treatment.
What flea bites look like
A flea bite in a child has more pronounced symptoms than in adults. A strongly swollen red blister with a diameter of up to 20 mm with subcutaneous hemorrhage appears at the site of injury. Flea bites in a child are most often accompanied by itching. Even an adult is not able to resist the temptation to scratch the wound, and what can we say about children who are beginning to frantically tear apart the affected skin. The consequences of a flea bite make themselves felt in 3-5 days.
Distinguish that bite fleas, and not other bloodsuckers can be on the following grounds:
- A flea bite on a child is not single and represents a chaotic cluster of short chains of 2-3 bites. Sometimes they are confused with bedbug bites, but the latter leave behind linear tracks of 4-5 punctures and bloody specks remain on the sheet.
- At the time of bloodsucking, a person experiences severe pain, as there are no painkillers in the flea saliva. Due to its mobility and jumping ability, the insect does not need to mask its bites.
- Unlike mosquitoesthat emit a characteristic squeak, fleas are silent beings.
The photo clearly shows the look of flea bites in children. Immediately after the attack of the insect, they are red spots with a puncture point in the center. After a few hours, seals form beneath them and in the center of the wound a lumpy papule may form. In children, fleas cause a rash, which in appearance is very similar to urticaria. Bite the parasites can any open areas of the body: legs, back, face, arms, stomach.
Consequences of flea attacks
If a child has been bitten by fleas, other symptoms may also appear in addition to the characteristic skin lesions:
- increased body temperature 37-38 ° C;
- abnormal stools that are manifested by frequent diarrhea;
- inflammation of the lymph nodes;
- irritability;
- in rare cases, anaphylactic shock is possible.
Itching and soreness after bitten by bloodsuckers, passes in 3-5 days. With the above symptoms, self-medication is contraindicated. Only an allergist, dermatologist or pediatrician is able to prescribe adequate therapy based on the condition of the child.
Allergies to flea bites in a child due to several reasons:
- the parasite injects with its saliva an enzyme that prevents blood clotting, the composition of the substance includes proteins that provoke the development of allergic reactions;
- the child’s immune system is still weak enough to withstand and repel negative external factors;
- tender skin.
Important!
Pain, itching, manifestation of allergic reactions - this is not all the negative effects of attacks of parasites. When scratching, the child may carry bacteria to the wound and aggravate the situation with infection. In addition, parasites are intermediate carriers of helminth eggs, carriers of several dozen dangerous diseases, including plague, typhoid, and hepatitis. Therefore, for children, fleas represent serious danger.
How to treat flea bites
What to do if a child is bitten by a flea is the first question that is asked by the parents of a bitten kid. First of all, you should calm down and stop panicking. Further algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Wash the wounds with water and antibacterial soap.It is important to remember that warm and hot water intensifies itching; therefore, it is better to use cold water or room temperature for treatment.
- Disinfect wounds with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol solution, antiseptic.
- Attach ice cubes to relieve itching.
- If the child is too small and cannot heed the request of parents not to comb the wounds, the affected places should be treated with brilliant green, smeared with a soothing ointment and bandaged.
Methods of treating flea bites in children depend on the age, weight of the child, the characteristics of the body and the extent of skin lesions. In the event of strong allergic reactions without the help of a specialist is indispensable. The doctor prescribes antihistamines, and in those cases when skin infections and antibiotics develop in the wounds.
Allowed to treat flea bites in a child at home in the absence of fever and strong allergic manifestations. Healing measures are reduced to eliminate itching and prevent infection of bite sites.
Feedback
After a night's sleep, my daughter began to appear red blisters on her body. I thought it was a chickenpox and called the pediatrician to the house.The doctor examined and said that these fleas bite the child and prescribed anti-allergy drugs, and also advised him to treat wounds with chamomile decoction. I would never even have thought that these insects could appear in the apartment, because we do not have pets, and on the street I never allow my daughter to play with stray animals. She complained to her neighbor about her misfortune and it turned out that parasites not only bite us. Probably, with the arrival of spring, they became more active and began to penetrate into the apartments from the entrances. Had to in a hurry treat all rooms with insecticides.
Anna Maslova, Novoshakhtinsk
How to smear flea bites in a child depends on the individual susceptibility to the components of the ointment. Pharmacies have a wide range of drugs to relieve symptoms after attacks of parasites: Fenistil, Rescuer, Boro Plus. Along with this, you can use folk remedies:
- grate potatoes and apply gruel or blotted with a cotton swab dipped in potato juice, the place of injury;
- to relieve itching make a compress from apple cider vinegar or soda solution;
- One lemon juice mixed with 2 teaspoons of honey and 1 cup of boiled water, the resulting mixture smear the affected places;
- infusions of herbs plantain, dandelion, chamomile have anti-inflammatory properties and relieve itching, they treat the bite sites with a cotton swab or make compresses from them.
How to protect children from attacks of blood-sucking insects
To protect a child from fleas, you should identify parasite penetration paths and hold pest control all premises. If there is a pet in the house, the animal must also be treated. With the arrival of spring, blood sucking parasites often penetrate into the ground floor apartments from basements, therefore, it is necessary to foresee the attacks of bloodsuckers in advance and take preventive measures. During walks, children should not be allowed to play with homeless animals, as the cat and dog fleas easily jump over people, which is fraught with further bites.
At that time, while the preparatory work for disinsection is underway, you can smear the child so as not to bite the fleas with a special baby cream that repels insects.
They actually proved their effectiveness, which is confirmed by the feedback left by people on the Internet.