Mosquito bites, like the bites of other blood-sucking insects, cause a lot of discomfort. The child feels severe itching and burning at the site of the lesion. In relatively mild cases, such an immune response does not pose any threat. However, if there is an individual intolerance to the substances that the mosquito injects during a bite, more serious consequences are possible - from severe local swelling to a severe allergic reaction, up to anaphylactic shock.
The mechanism for the development of swelling, itching and other unpleasant symptoms is due to the body’s response to foreign substances.
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- The mosquito pierces the skin and injects into the local bloodstream a complex mixture based on analogues of hirudin (a special anticoagulant that prevents blood clotting) and anesthetics. So that the victim does not experience pain.
- Molecules of foreign organic matter cause an immune reaction. Local inflammation develops, which is accompanied by itching and burning.
- The body isolates the area and destroys the foreign substance. However, if the patient has an individual intolerance to these compounds, the immune reaction will be too violent. This is already dangerous.
Children are more prone to dangerous, life-threatening allergic reactions. In standard cases, when anaphylaxis or severe generalized edema does not develop, the use of local drugs is sufficient.
Let's figure out what you can apply to a mosquito bite to eliminate discomfort.
Antiseptics
Antiseptics are compositions for disinfecting wound surfaces. Often pain, discomfort, itching and burning, especially after a few hours or days from the bite, are a consequence of secondary infection of the wound. For example, streptococci or staphylococci. Antiseptics help eliminate the threat of bacterial infection. But to prevent infection, they must be used immediately.
Among the possible options that can be found in pharmacies and which are allowed to smear mosquito bites even for small children under one year old:
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- Hydrogen peroxide. Ordinary peroxide has pronounced oxidizing properties and has a detrimental effect on all pathogenic microorganisms: fungi, bacteria and more. Apply in small quantities using a cotton pad. The drug is completely safe, therefore it is suitable for children up to one year old.
- Complex antiseptics: Chlorhexidine, Miramistin. Completely safe drugs. Miramistin has no age restrictions. It can be used from 6 months and even earlier, during the infancy period. Chlorhexidine is more aggressive, so it is used with caution in children. May cause local skin irritation.
It is possible and necessary to apply antiseptics to mosquito bites for young children. This is the first step in treating the affected area. The main thing is to choose the right, gentle option so as not to provoke problems.
The list of ointments that can be used to anoint the lesion for older children, if the child is already 1 year old, includes the following drugs:
Repellents
Smells play a huge role in the life of insects, helping them accurately find food and avoid danger. Thus, they detect people and animals by the smell of the sweat they secrete, which unmistakably signals the female bloodsuckers about the presence of tasty fresh food. Consequently, by masking our own smell with some strong aroma, we send a message to the small vile: fly away from here, there is nothing interesting for you here.
Attention! In order for the disguise to work without failure, before using fragrances you need to thoroughly wash your body, removing traces of previously released sweat. For some insects, just one molecule per cubic meter of air is enough to detect food.
Folk remedies for repelling midges and mosquitoes
You will find most of the repellents in this group in your own kitchen, in the first aid kit or in the nearest forest.
- Sagebrush. To prepare an anti-mosquito tincture, collect the roots of fresh wormwood and chop finely, then pour boiling water over it and leave for half an hour. For a glass of chopped wormwood roots you need to take a liter of water. When the broth has cooled, apply it with a cotton swab or spray bottle to open areas of skin, spray door and window openings.
- Camphor. In any pharmacy you will find camphor alcohol, tincture or crystalline camphor. As dusk sets in and mosquitoes become more active, pour camphor from the vial into a small saucepan, place on the stove and evaporate the substance by heating over low heat. After this procedure, you are guaranteed a restful sleep throughout the night. If you pour the solution into a tin can and evaporate it over a fire or barbecue, then during the evening not a single mosquito will come close to the area where you are resting.
- Valerian. In the same way, valerian tincture is used, which has similar properties. True, in this case, a side effect is possible in the form of an invasion of cats in the summer cottage.
- Aroma oils. As practice shows, bloodsuckers cannot tolerate the smell of cedar, tea tree, basil, eucalyptus, clove, and anise oils. Evaporate a few drops of any of these oils in an aroma lamp to cleanse a room, veranda or gazebo. Mix the aroma oil with any cream and lubricate exposed skin.
- Vanillin. To effectively protect the skin, two or three packets of vanillin should be mixed with the cream until completely dissolved, and then applied to the face, arms and legs. You can dissolve the substance in water, vodka or alcohol and spray it on the skin and furniture.
Products applied to the skin do not last long. For them to work well, it is necessary to renew the protective coating every 1-2 hours.
Chemical repellents
A wide selection of mosquito repellents can be easily found in the specialized section of any supermarket. Repellents in the form of a cream or spray are applied to the skin for personal protection. The rules are, in general, the same as when using folk remedies: they need to be applied to cleanly washed skin and updated periodically. Unfortunately, they are not suitable for use at night: you will fall asleep peacefully without hearing the irritating mosquito ringing, but after a couple of hours the effect of the repellent will stop, and the bloodsuckers will attack your defenseless skin.
Electronic repellers
The action of a small but very effective device is based on the emission of ultrasonic waves in the range from 5 to 20 KHz. Most models operate on a 220 V network. There are also battery-powered mobile devices, but their power is usually low, so the range does not exceed 2.5 meters. The capabilities of network repellers are significantly higher: one device is enough to secure a country house, an open veranda or a spacious gazebo.
Insect repeller ENERGY 6W ultrasonic
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-inflammatory ointments and gels are used for prolonged irritation of the affected area. This is possible as an individual reaction of the body to damage. Open wounds formed when a child scratched the bite site should absolutely not be smeared with such ointments.
Among the options that can be found in pharmacies:
- Diclofenac. Anti-inflammatory ointment. It has a pronounced and one of the most powerful effects. Suitable for treating affected areas in children over 6 years old.
- Diklak. A drug of a similar composition, but with a lower concentration of the main active ingredient. It is applied according to the same principle, the restrictions are identical.
- Rescuer. Balm for topical application. It has a completely natural composition that relieves inflammation and eliminates skin irritation. “Rescuer” can be used as a universal ointment after mosquito bites for children of any age.
How to anoint a child’s mosquito bites depends on the degree of inflammation.
There is another option, which, strictly speaking, does not apply to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. But it has a complex effect. We're talking about zinc ointment. This is a cheap, available drug for topical use. It should be applied after partial healing. Open wounds should not be smeared with zinc oxide.
Interesting read:
- Who do mosquitoes bite more often?
- What diseases do mosquitoes carry?
Antihistamines
Antihistamines are recommended in most cases. The body's immune response to the penetration of foreign substances is associated with the release of a large number of inflammatory mediators. Histamine plays a major role in this process. It is precisely to neutralize it that antihistamines are aimed. They reduce the sensitivity of the receptors of the same name to the substance, preventing the development of excessive inflammation and associated symptoms.
Here are the most effective and safe ointments and gels that can be used to anoint a child’s mosquito bite:
- Gel Fenistil. Can be used without age restrictions. Suitable if the child is 1 year or 1 month old. Has a mild calming effect, relieves itching, inflammation and burning. The effect is rapid and occurs within a few minutes of application. Can be reused. According to need.
- Elidel: cream, gel for allergic reactions. Has approximately the same indications. However, it is used for treatment in children from 3 months of age. Can be reused if necessary.
- Soventol-gel. A drug with a similar effect is used immediately after the bite. To reduce the degree of itching, burning, and severity of symptoms.
Antihistamines can be used from an early age. What to apply to a child’s mosquito bite for itching depends on personal choice. From a fundamental point of view, antihistamines are approximately the same in terms of effect and safety.
How to protect yourself from mosquitoes in the country
You can grow a natural barrier against mosquitoes in your summer cottage or right on the windowsill by planting plants whose smell insects do not like. For example, lavender, lemon balm, lemongrass, mint (cat or peppermint), basil. We cannot guarantee 100% effectiveness of this protection, but fragrant plants will in any case charge you with a summer mood.
During gatherings around the fire or barbecue, smoke will become a natural protection against mosquitoes. It is enough to throw a few pine or spruce cones into the fire, and the smoke with the pine smell will scare away the bloodsuckers for a long time. For greater effect, you can use coniferous branches or aromatic herbs.
Mosquito nets on windows are an obvious and very effective way to protect your room from mosquitoes. Choose a mesh with a minimum mesh size - this way you will protect your home not only from flies and mosquitoes, but also from small midges and other insects. The main thing to remember is that even a small hole in the mosquito net can reduce the effect to zero.
And one more piece of advice: if you notice that there are more mosquitoes at your dacha than usual, they may have found a damp place and settled there. Check to see if there is a large stagnant puddle in the area; how long have you cleaned out the pond or fountain? An ideal place for mosquitoes could be a trash can, a bucket or barrel of water that has already “bloomed,” and other containers where water could stagnate.
Restoring, healing
Drugs that increase the speed and quality of tissue regeneration. Including after bites from mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects. Partially relieve itching, burning and symptoms of the lesion. But this is not the main function of such compositions.
Among the restorative drugs:
- Bepanten in different variations. Cream, ointment. Has a mild restorative effect. Reduces the degree of inflammation, relieves pain. There are no formal contraindications or age restrictions.
- Solcoseryl. Only in gel or ointment form. Can be used at any age. Has a rapid healing effect.
- Actovegin. Available in both ointment, gel and cream form. The active substance is a deproteinized hemoderivative of calf blood. Accelerates the regeneration process, improves tissue trophism and activates metabolism. Prevents the formation of scarring during the healing of severe scratching.
It is better to apply restorative compounds to the bite site after the wound has partially healed. In the acute period, they are less suitable for combating itching, burning and discomfort.
Related articles: How to protect your child from bites - the best mosquito repellents
Hormonal drugs
Hormonal compounds are used in relatively rare cases. When the inflammatory process cannot be eliminated by other methods. As a rule, these are borderline conditions: the immune response is stronger than it should be in a healthy person, but does not reach emergency conditions.
To correct this situation, special hormonal ointments are used. Many of them can be prescribed to children. For example:
- Akriderm in ointment form. Has a mild effect.
- Advantan. Approximately identical in effect and degree of safety.
Whether it is possible to smear mosquito bites on a child with hormonal ointment depends on the specific name. The two options mentioned above are possible. It is impossible to use heavier drugs, such as Hydrocortisone, Prednisolone, as an ointment for mosquito bites for children. They cause a lot of side effects and are only suitable for adults.
Specialized compounds
On pharmacy shelves you can find specialized ointments for children after mosquito bites. And also patches with the same effect. Such options include:
- Nezulin. Combined drug with a semi-synthetic composition. It is completely safe, has no serious contraindications and almost no side effects. Suitable for use at any age: whether the child is 2 years old or several months old.
- Gardex balm.
- Deta balm or gel.
These drugs have a narrowly targeted effect.
What attracts mosquitoes to your home?
It will be more effective not only to exterminate insects in the apartment, but also to block the path of their penetration.
- Moisture. Bloodsuckers are crazy about moisture. Ask any fisherman, he will tell you about hordes of mosquitoes near water bodies. And if pipes are leaking in the basement, then residents of the entire entrance, especially the lower floors, will have to fight off midges and mosquitoes.
- Window. Insects can smell human blood and sweat from tens of meters away. Through a crack in the window, more than a dozen bloodsuckers can fly into the room, but in the summer it is impossible to sleep with clogged sashes.
