Mosquitoes can do a number on your child, causing itchy bites from head to toe in just a few minutes. You can avoid the bulk of mosquitoes by staying in at dawn and dusk but right now with the heat, that is the only time it is bearable to go outside. You should also spray your child (two months or older) with an insect repellent containing no more than 30 percent DEET.
If a kid has an itch, he’s going to scratch it. And with scratching can come infection.
Dirty fingernails can drag all matter of yuck into open wounds, so be vigilant. Treat the itch with topical cortisone, calamine lotion, cold washcloths, ice packs or possibly oral Benadryl or a similar anti-histamine medication. Also, encourage your child to pat or slightly slap the irritated area rather than scratch it.
Bugs can be a big nuisance, but don’t let every pest get you down. Letting your kids loose in the yard with a magnifying glass and a bug house is what childhood summertime memories are made of. Just make sure they do not catch something on fire with the magnifying glass with all of this dry weather.
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