For most children, a fire ant bite may cause tears that are quickly chased away with a kiss and a Band-Aid. But some children are allergic to these banes of Texas summer and a single bite can be much more dangerous – even fatal.
Only a small number of children have allergic reactions to ant or insect bites. With basic first-aid and observation, most children will experience only mild itching or discomfort.
- Itching, often with hives
- Swelling and redness
- Nasal congestion
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Changes in behavior or personality such as seeming dazed, confused
- Sudden onset of persistent cough and/or hoarseness
- Apply ice to the bite site for 10 to 15 minutes
- Check bite areas for redness, splotches and/or swelling
- Difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing or extensive swelling of body parts mean the child should be taken immediately to an emergency room.
- If your child experiences an allergic reaction, ask your pediatrican about Epi-pen, a small device with an easily injectable dose of epinephrine, to keep on hand for emergency situations.
If your child tests positive for allergy to fire ant bites, your pediatrician may recommend immunotherapy to prevent future reactions since the reaction to this allergy can be severe, possibly even fatal, in subsequent incidents. Immunotherapy involves injecting small, but progressively larger, amounts of the allergen to build immunity.
See also: Insect bites
