Bug bites.......size of Coins

Hi - I got these kind of reactions as a child also. I would suggest putting bug spray of some kind as a preventative. I use the Avon bug guard which has sunscreen and protects against all kinds of bugs. They also have just bug repellent. I also use the skin so soft oil or skin so soft lotion on myself before I go outside if I do not want to smell like bug spray. These all work well for us. The Dr had also given me a prescription cream to make the bugs stop itching and go away faster.

Hope this helps.

My 7 year old reacts like this to mosquito bites. I use Off! familycare on it him and it seems work really well. Yes, it does contain DEET. And although the use of DEET on children has been hyped up over the years as not being good for kids I did some research and found that it is safe to use on kids of all ages. I live in an area that has lots of mosquitoes and for me using the repellent was a no-brainer.

http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/chemicals/deet.htm

The same thing happened to my son when he was small. I remember taking his shirt off one night for his bath and he was loaded with quarter size bug bites. I just gave him benedryl before bed and he was fine. I also took him to the doctor and he just said he was having a reaction to the mosquito bites.

My daughter and I are both like that. Recently, when we get bitten, we get big welts on our legs. And it seems to be only on our legs. I'm almost wondering if it's not regular mosquitos and it's another type of bug. Maybe bed bugs? I hate to think that, but trying to figure out why only on our legs.
Some people have worse reactions. Hey, my daughter had poison ivy last week and wound up in the hospital for 2 nights with IV steroids and antibiotics. She obviously didn't tolerate the poison ivy as well as some other people do.

I hope some bug repellent works for you!

I bought some natural insect repellent at onestepahead.com that's a blue bottle. I also use Burts Bees insect calming stick that's a green tube like a small glue stick. It works on my hives too. Try that if you don't want to use Benadryl. I've had those types of reactions since I was a child and find that most things don't work. Also make sure their lotion, shampoo, conditioner, etc. Anything that goes on their skin- clothing is fragrance free-no perfumes. It attracts insects like crazy. Good luck!

Hi A.,
My son, 8, gets the same thing. Its not the bites that are that big, its the swelling allergic reaction. One of my daughters has a bug bite problem, she will get bit many times, but not have the swelling reaction.It is strange to see them get that big and there is really not much you can do to keep them from getting like that.

However, there are some things you can do to avoid them getting bit. I have tried the sprays and rubs, they work a little, but not much. I am currently putting out citronella candles on my porch and in our yard to chase away about 1/2 of our bugs, but not enough.

A couple years ago I found bug bracelets at Walmart, BugOff! (deet free), in the seasonal area, which right now, they have grills, plants, garden supplies, and bug sprays. I stock up on them whenever I can, with 4 kids, they work better than anything else I've ever tried.

If your son is getting bit while he sleeps, I would say his room, or wherever he is sleeping when he gets bit, needs a real good cleaning! And don't forget to spray for bugs in any cracks and under beds. I live in an old house with cracks all over and we've seen all kinds of bugs in here, so we clean and spray quite a bit. (mostly ants and spiders, yuk!)

My son also has minor allergies, so I also give him over the counter meds for this and any reaction to bug bites, non drowsy, so he can play outside all day, without allergies effecting him, or bug bites (with the bracelet, when he remembers!)

Good luck

Are you sure the bites are happening outside? Do you have a dog who may have fleas? or could there be a spider in his bed or room? If none of these are possibilities, then
perhaps you could get some Avon Skin So Soft and put some on your kids legs when they are outside. My daughter is a mosquito magnet and this stuff really and truly helps her and it doesn't have harmful chemicals in it.
Good Luck!!!!

This happens to me and has been happening for the past 32 years.......
Everyone reacts differently to bites and your children may have an allergy. When my bites swell up I ice them and put toothpaste on them which helps with the itch. If the swelling becomes very large (some of mine have been 8 inches in diameter), you must go to the hospital.
Good luck

Hi A.
My research showed that if bugs are attracted to you, your body needs more B vitamins. When my kids started having those kinds of bug bits and stayed for more than a day, I started giving them Vitamin C. Vitamin C builds/makes Vitamin B in balanced proportions in your body.
In the meantime Avon has a great product that helps in preventing bites, and is especially useful in kids who have an allergic reaction to the bite.
God bless
Let me know how it works
K. -- SAHM married 38 years -- adult children 38 yesterday, 33, and twins 19

Completely normal for people of any age. The same thing happens to me, and lots of other people I know. We just react more strongly to bug bites that you obviously do. There are lots of natural repellents from citronella, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, etc. Best remedy for post-bite itching is to mix baking soda with a bit of water to form a paste - rub that on the bite, and the itch will go away almost immediately.

You can be allergic to certain types of insects - people know that you can be allergic to bee stings, but you can also be allergic to mosquitos, mayflies ... I would mention it to the doctor.

My daughters have the same issue. Last year we had them on oral benadyrl and they basically spent a month in a daze. The doctor then swtiched them to zyrtec once a day as a preventative measure rather than benadryl after the fact. we now use the zyrtec daily during the summer and it works wonders. if they get a bite now it doesn't swell up to be huge and goes away within 3 days.

Same here, A.. I killed a mosquito on her leg but not soon enough. She had a welt the size of a golf ball! No kidding. If I hadn't seen the darn thing with my own eyes, I might've thought it was some other freak bug or spider. In short, she's more allergic to bug bites than most (definitely more than me!). I'm guessing yours are too.

You got a lot of advise - some of which I may try, lol. Good luck.

I learned that stick deodorant will take the itch away almost immediately. Something about the aluminum salts, I think. It is a cheap trick to try. Also last year we tried misting Listerine, or the store brand, around the area and on skin and it seems to repel the bugs. Citronella coils have worked great for us too.
Good luck,
J. R.

A.~
Hi! Use Lavender Essential oil. Just put it on the bug bite and it'll stop the itch and reduces it to almost nothing. (You may have to do it a few times for it to go away completely). Lavender is good to put in the bedroom because it helps induce calmness/sleep (twofold use!)
Also, how many sugary things do the kids ingest? The sweeter the child (blood) the bigger the bite...well, maybe not quite that, but truly, the bugs are attracted to sweet blood. Diet has everything to do with it. A good remedy is taking a teaspoon of lemon juice or eating part of lemon everyday...but most kids wouldn't be up for that...anyway, good luck!

My 2 yo gets huge reactions to bug bites too. I try to keep her from itching with the Aveeno itch cream but to just keep them inside is about the only way to keep them (almost) bite fre. I am going to try the Avon skin so soft bug spray on her tomorrow. (forgot I had it until I saw your post!) It is DEET free and claims to work wonders. I have used straight skin so soft before and it worked for the bugs but did not like the greasyness of it. The bug stuff is a spray on and claims to NOT be greasy! A.

A.,

Try purchasing some "Skin So Soft" bath oil or body spray from Avon. Spray that on your little one's legs....its good for their skin, and the bugs won't come anywhere near them! It isn't toxic, and it does the job great.

In fact, National Guardsmen who go on weekend manuevers even pack it in their gear. It may make them smell like a bunch of pansies, but it sure beats scratching!

D.

All my kids get welts from mosquito bites. To relieve the bites I keep witch hazel in the fridge and pat it on with a cotton ball. We alo try to keep our grass cut, the longer the grass the worse the mosquitos it seems.
When the kids are playing outside at night they rub a unused dryer sheet on their exposed skin and then tuck the sheet into a pocket. believe it or not this has been the better than any stinky bug spray...also works for bees during little league and soccer season.

Good luck.

I think what you see is an allergic reaction to the bite. I am a person that bugs seem to be attracted to too - I currently have one the size of a small plate! There isn't much you can do to stop it unfortunately, even with bug spray they seem to want to eat me. All I can suggest is to keep on with the bug spray and try some calamine or anti-itch spray if they get bitten. You could also use benadryl for the reaction if they are really bad. Good luck :)