Since the arrival of warm weather, parks, gardens, beaches and swimming pools have been filled with families eager to enjoy outdoor activities in which they can share the leisure time that summer offers with their loved ones. A whole series of activities that, given the heat, are carried out in light clothing that allows us to feel cooler, but puts our skin at the mercy of bees, wasps, bumblebees or ants. These animals can sometimes cause itching or skin rashes after direct contact “and, if the person is allergic, they can cause serious reactions (anaphylaxis) and potentially fatal,” says Elisa Martínez López, a paediatrician at the Madrid hospital. 12th of October University Hospital.
Caterpillars and mosquitoes are also present in these natural spaces. According to Martínez, although there are also cases of anaphylaxis described, they are much less frequent. “This does not mean that contact with them does not produce a more or less extensive skin reaction, but they are not usually associated with other types of symptoms: respiratory, digestive, neurological… What is known as systemic reactions,” he recalls.
Allergies can appear at any age and the varied symptoms that they present are suffered by both adults and children, presenting from very extensive skin lesions with inflammation of soft parts or low blood pressure to difficulty breathing or vomiting. “It is important to remember that previous bites or exposures may have caused mild and local symptoms, like those produced in the general population,” continues the pediatrician, “but the type of reaction may change at some point, with systemic symptoms appearing as described above. This is the time to consult a doctor, because an allergy may have developed.”
These reactions occur when our immune system, after being exposed for the first time to the insect venom or the substance in question, generates proteins called immunoglobulins E (IgE) – antibodies produced by the immune system to fight an organism that it perceives as a threat – against the specific insect, which increase the amount and speed of the reaction the more times you are exposed to the bite. Therefore, the severity can be progressively greater, according to Martínez.
Children’s reactions to insect venom can range from a local reaction with the appearance of a papule in the area of the bite, which lasts a couple of days and causes itching, to anaphylactic symptoms, which can be potentially fatal.Mosquitoes are the ones that bite them most often.. Wasps, bees and ants are the most dangerous, due to the hypersensitivity reactions they can cause. Fleas cause allergic skin reactions such as hives; and the horsefly, with its bite, produces a skin lump that can trigger a generalized systemic allergic reaction (anaphylaxis),” says Cristina Ortega Casanueva, member of the Spanish Society of Clinical Immunology, Allergology and Pediatric Asthma (SEICAP).
If a local reaction occurs, it is advisable to elevate the affected arm or leg and apply ice or a cold compress to reduce inflammation and pain. “To avoid secondary infections, the blisters should be gently cleaned, without breaking them, with soap and water. To relieve itching, always under medical prescription, an oral antihistamine or even a topical corticosteroid can be administered,” says Ortega. If a systemic reaction occurs, one that affects the entire body, due to the bee or wasp sting in the acute phase, adrenaline is used: “It is recommended that children with this type of allergy carry a pre-loaded adrenaline pen in their medication bag.”
Children who suffer from this type of allergy “should always carry medication with them and know how to administer it and when,” says the pediatrician from the 12 de Octubre University Hospital. Here is the series of tips that the specialist offers to avoid bites as much as possible.
- Avoid walking barefoot on the grass. Wear closed shoes if possible.
- Using repellents. Keep in mind that some with more natural compounds, such as citronella, need to be reapplied every few hours, while others with components such as DEET —N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide is the most common ingredient in insect repellents— are more powerful and long-lasting.
- Wear clothes with low-key colours, without floral patterns, and that cover as much of your body as possible. If your clothes are tight, you will prevent insects from getting inside them.
- Do not use perfumes, colognes, shampoos or scented gels.
- Avoid eating outdoors and be especially careful when using canned drinks, where stinging insects may have entered your mouth directly. Do not leave food out in the open.
- Stay calm and collected when insects are around or landing on you, trying not to make sudden or threatening gestures or move quickly to avoid being bitten.
- Do not destroy places such as anthills, beehives or wasp nests. Prevent children from playing near places where they are found.
- Shake clothes before putting them back on after they have been outdoors.
These days, when many families send their children to summer camps, it is advisable that both the child, to the extent of his or her age and abilities, as well as all the staff and other classmates, are aware of the existence of these types of allergies and how they manifest. This is important because in the event of a serious reaction, it is essential to recognise it quickly so as not to waste minutes on its treatment. In the event that the child has any of these allergies, “he or she must go to the camp with clear instructions on how to act and how to apply the medication prescribed by the paediatrician or allergist: mainly, at least two injections of adrenaline, antihistamines and oral corticosteroids. A treatment that must always accompany the child, wherever he or she goes, on boats, walks in the countryside, swimming pools…”, Martínez emphasises.
If the child has previously had severe reactions, it is advisable to have a health centre close to the camp location or at least not in remote or isolated places. In addition, the paediatrician reminds that both in schools and in camps, first aid and this type of pathology should be discussed: “A short talk with clear and simple instructions to all the children in the camp at the beginning of the camp can be very useful.”
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