mommymonster Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 We are on vacation to coastal Washington. DS8 got a bite from something and seems to be having a bit of a reaction from it. It happened yesterday, there was no definite ring around the bite, but it was about an inch in diameter. Today it is four-plus inches in diameter, and there's a raised bit in the middle. He seems fine, but I'm all freaked out. Logically, I'm thinking it's a spider bite, but we were playing in thigh-high grasses and on the beach and everywhere else... [i know I'm not being logical about this, so please someone tell me to calm down, please? :blush: ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 I can't see your image. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 My dd's mosquito bites look like this. Is it hot too? Does it itch? I think I'd try giving Benadryl and seeing if that helps. In the meantime, mark the redness with a pen to see if it grows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 What Jennifer said, looks like a mosquito bite. My first thought was tick, but I am not that familiar with their rashes other than the classic bullseye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender's green Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Looks like how DH's whole family reacts to mosquito bites, which is a pretty freaky sight for those of us who get small pimply-looking ones! DH says Afterbite works really well. Hope everything turns out okay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 That is cellulitis. You need to take her to an urgent care type place and get appropriate antibiotics. Been there. Done that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Does it feel warm to the touch? I would definitely circle it and watch for swelling or growth. A dose of Benadryl may resolve a mosquito bite, but if it is cellulitis the antihistamine probably won't do anything (and may thus help you decide if something more is needed). One of my children responds that way to mosquito bites, so it could definitely just be that. IME, my case of cellulitis was neither painful nor itchy, it was just an obvious red, warm and swollen spot that grew rather quickly. I just say that because absence of discomfort might not mean there's no infection. Be sure to check it every few hours and definitely first thing in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyThreeSons Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 I'd be concerned about cellulitis, too, especially if it is warm to the touch. It's nothing to mess around with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 You can try tea tree oil (which has antibiotic properties) but I would mark it and if gets at all bigger I would go to urgent care for antibiotics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybee Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 I can't see the image, but occasionally as a child/teenager, I would have a strong reaction to a mosquito bite where the redness/heat/swelling would grow to about 4-5" in diameter. And once to a horsefly bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 My guess is a spider bite. I had two kids who reacted to spider bites like that. One consistently needed antibiotics. She would get red streaks of infection in less than 24 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymonster Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 Thanks for the advice and thoughts. We were vacationing in a pretty remote area. I couldn't find a local urgent care place, so we packed up and headed home. At least if we're at home, we have access to medical care. I gave him Benadryl and marked the area. There's no streaking at all, so that's something. If it hasn't gotten smaller by morning, we're going in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 It could be any insect. Dd reacts like that to pretty much all of them. Spot gets feverish, swells, inflamed. Draw around the inflammation with a pen. If it continues to increase outside the penmark, take him in. If it doesn't, just give it time. It can take over a week for dd's to resolve themselves. If it develops a weepy center, take him in. No need to restrict his activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 That looks like what happens to me when a black fly gets me. I got a bite the other day on my neck and the whole side of my neck swelled up like I had half a peach attached to it. The swelling did go down after 48 hrs though, so if DS's doesn't, I'd get him to the clinic. I used Sssssting stop which helped a lot and then benedryl before bed. Hope he feels better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjand6more Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 2 of my kids react to mosquito bites like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysticmomma Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Hope he is getting better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymonster Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 DS8 just woke up and his bite looks *so much better*! Thank you all for your advice. It seems the Benadryl carried the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 2 of my kids react to mosquito bites like this. Same here when my daughter gets a mosquito bite, only sometimes she bruises also. I give Benadryl right away and sometimes apply topical Caldryl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 DS8 just woke up and his bite looks *so much better*! Thank you all for your advice. It seems the Benadryl carried the day. Great! Thanks for the update, I was wondering about y'all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 I don't get like that for mosquito bites but definitely do for black flies and fire ants. Good to hear your ds is better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 DS8 just woke up and his bite looks *so much better*! Thank you all for your advice. It seems the Benadryl carried the day. Oh good! My dd's bites start looking like this even if she only itches a tiny bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.