Help! Baby bug bite allergy!!?

Question

My 22 month old son seems to have an allergy to mosquito bites. They swell up, and blister, and end up being these awful open sores. This weekend, he got one under his eye, and it made his eye swell almost completely shut. Now, it's infected, and he's on antibiotics. It's terrible and I feel completely helpless. I've done everything I can to keep him away from mosquitos since the first time, so this is only the second time it has happened, and I thought I'd followed pretty much every precaution possible, but he still got bitten.

So, these are my questions to anyone who has experience with this (this is a 22-month old, so please don't guess at answers):

1) Has anyone had this happen to their child, when they were little?

2) Did they grow out of it? Did it get worse?

3) Does anyone know of anything I can put on him to soothe the bites if he gets them?

4) Does anyone know of an insect repellant that works AND is safe for a child under 2?

5) Does anyone have ANY other suggestions about how to keep this from happening or how to make him feel better if it does?

Thanks so much!

Answer 1

I had this issue with my son (who's now 7) so I'll try answering:

1) Yes, when my son was little and got bug bits, they'd swell up to the size of a tennis ball and ooze and get all bloody and scabby.  Only once did he get an infection that had to be put on antibiotics.

2) He did grow out of it - I would say around age 4-5.  They still swell more than the average kid, but nowhere near as severe as when he was younger.

3) I put hydrocortizone cream (OTC) as soon as he gets a bite, and then put a bandaide over it to prevent him from scratching it.  Helps immensely.

4) Burt's Bees makes a pretty good repellant.... but none are foolproof (that I've found).

5) See #3, also, ice for swelling helped as well.  To prevent it, I tried to keep my son out of buggy areas when able to - stay away from grassy, woody areas early and late in the day.  Thats about all you can do.

Good luck!

Answer 2

1) Yes my son was allergic when little y he is 8 and still reacts the size of tennis balls

3) my doctor gave him a perscription called Betaderm it is a type of cortisone and it works AWSOMELY swelling goes away in few hours

4) I have to date never found a repellant that works very well

5) dress in lite coloured clothing when going out into infested areas.

good luck to you

Answer 3

My 4 - year - old son was diagnosed with a mosquito bit allergy at two years old.  Like your son, he swells up like crazy when he gets bitten.  It's beyond a typical but, but rather consists of a golf ball - sized welt.  So far, his condition hasn't gotten better or worse.  I think he copes a little easier when he does get an attack, but the symptoms are still the same.  

Has your doctor given your son a prescription?  My son takes Zyrtec when we know he'll be outside and possibly get bitten.  Also, keep a bottle of aloe in the fridge - it's great for soothing bites.  Good luck.