Taking the Sting out of Bug Bites

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Every family has at least one: a bug baiter who attracts pests.

“They seem to love her sometimes, and this one too,” says Cheryl Staggs.

Cheryl Staggs is tracking four kids and all that goes with them.

“Mosquitos and ants are the biggest ones that we seem to deal with,” says Staggs.

“Younger children in particular may be more prone to mosquito bites. They may be less likely to try to swat them away or swat at them if they feel them biting,” says Dr. Christina Cavanagh, who is a family practitioner with Lee Memorial Health System.

Summertime seems to carry more bite. Rain prompts mosquito hatching and kids play outside more, adding up to an increase in stings.

“Avoid scratching as much as possible, that’s just going to flare up the histamine reaction and it will itch more,” says Dr. Cavanagh.

Mosquito-borne illnesses are possible but not probable. Doctors more frequently treat problems related to scratching the bite.

“The most common reactions that we see in the office are infections on top of the bug bite. So if you see an area that has become open to the skin maybe because of scratching and starts to have redness spreading even further outside of that bug bite. Or they develop a fever over 100.5 on top of the bug bite. If you see anything draining from that site, that would also need to be evaluated,” says Dr. Cavanagh.

Topical hydrocortisone can help soothe the itch. Bug sprays with DEET are safe and effective for deterring pests. Cheryl uses both, and a little common sense.

“When it gets time in the evening for mosquitos we usually don’t go out,” says Staggs.

Proper planning helps take the sting out of summer.

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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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