Stings

Insect stings can be painful but are not usually dangerous. However, if the insect sting is in the mouth or throat this can be more serious as it could lead to swelling of the airway and obstruction. Watch for signs of an allergic reaction, which can lead to anaphylactic shock.

Signs and symptoms

Look for:

Stinging pain
Redness
Swelling
Irritation

Treatment

Reassure the child. If you can see the sting, brush or scrape it off sideways with something firm like a fingernail, credit card or plastic ruler.

Don’t try to use tweezers to pull it out, because you could squeeze poison from the sting into the body.

Raise the affected area and hold something cold against the injury to help reduce the swelling, like an ice pack or a frozen bag of vegetables wrapped in a tea towel.

Keep the cold compress on for at least 10 minutes.

If the sting is in the mouth or throat, the child can suck an ice cube or sip cold water to try to prevent any swelling.

Monitor their breathing and level of response.

Call 999 or 112 for emergency help if the child shows signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Bites

Bites from sharp, pointed teeth cause deep puncture wounds. This can lead to tissue damage which will allow germs to enter the skin. Therefore you need to treat any bite that breaks the skin, to prevent a risk of infection.

Treatment

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and warm water to reduce the risk of infection being transferred from the animal.

Raise and support the wound and pat it dry, preferably with clean gauze from your first aid kit. Then cover it with a sterile wound dressing.

If the wound is large or deep, treat the bleeding, and call 999 or 112 for emergency help.

If the child is not sure if they’ve had a tetanus jab or the wound is dirty, advise them to seek medical help straight away.

If you think there’s a risk of rabies, call 999 or 112 for emergency help.

If the bite is from another human, there’s also a small risk of getting hepatitis or the HIV/AIDS virus. Advise the child to seek medical help straight away.

How to Support a Baby or Child With Bites or Stings

Unii's Paediatric First Aid Journey shares how to care for a baby or child with a bite or sting.