Bee Stings

[helenaa]

I'm allergic to bee stings, does anyone know what you can give children under 4 if they get stung? saw some antihistamine for aged 6+ in sainsbos 2day quite worried cos grandma has a nest in her chimney??

[hellymelly]

Your children won't have an allergic reaction from the sting if they've never been stung before,its also unlikely they will inherit the same allergy,more likely that they will have a tendency towards allergy/asthma/excema in general. Also bees don't sting unless they feel very threatened,so as long as they are just in the chimney then they are not a worry unless disturbed,she could put a board at the bottom and tape it so that they can't come down the chimney into the room. They will be out and about doing their bee thing,and as they are high up you won't be in the flight path for the nest at all so they won't sting for that reason.How old are your dcs? Are they old enough to understand to be still and quiet around bees? I have a wasp sting allergy and so I sympathise,I thought it was bees too until last year when the allergy clinic ruled them out,but I've never been too worried about bees,for the reasons above.Wasps however,are a different matter!

[helenaa]

Thanks hellymelly my dd is 4 & ds nearly 3 so is quite tricky dd screams head off at a fly! They cant get down chimney cos grandma has an Aga but they keep getting lost & get into house through open windows etc. Dh is very concerned and has asked us to stay away till they go away?? (or are removed) especially since Grandma was stung yesterday when she was trying to let a v cross one out of a window she allergic too thats why I am worried the dcs might have same prob. they had a professional bee man who wanted to take them to his farm but he couldnt get them out so only option to kill them.

[hellymelly]

Oh,killing them seems a bit harsh,can't she just put screens or nets on her windows? I've let out lots of bees and never been stung so that seems likely to be a one off. I must admit I keep all windows closed in case wasps get in ,we never have them open in high summer,I'm too worried about missing one and treading on it crawling around. Do you and your MIL have epipens? There is also a wasp and bee repellent spray in Boots this year,might be worth getting?

[youarekidding]

Both my DS AH he's been prescibed can be taken by children 2 upwards. 1 is Chlorphenamine (puriton) the other cetirizine (piritize). Both can be bought OTC.

I undersatnd your bee sting worry. My sister and cousin have local swelling to bees, me historically to wasps (although as helly said not the first time I was stung) and DS already has an epipen. Even the comm pead nurse said watch him to analyphalatic symptons if he's stung as it can run in families.

[BeeLister]

Ds' allergy consultant has always said to give liquid piriton after an allergic reaction rather than an tablet form because it is faster acting. It can be given to children over 12months, iirc.

[hellymelly]

Local swelling,even a whole limb,is quite common ,but according to my allergy consultant,the time to worry is when there is also a blood pressure drop (so faintness etc) and/or breathing problems.Most people who get swelling will never have a full anaphylactic reaction,so youarekidding,that might be reassuring for you,unless you have had breathing issues etc. Wasp reactions are more likely to sensitise you than bees, and also wasps carry a massive bacterial load in their venom sacs,so there is also an infection worry.

[youarekidding]

I had asthma attack to bee sting once - no longer have asthma though or been stung by a bee for 10 years. So did have breathing problems but not allergy iyswim. Guess that may increase his risk? He is not asthmatic.
Nurse just said that as history of minor reactions in family combined with DS anaphylalxis (no-one knows what to atm) to be monitor him if he was stung though obviously/ hopefully he could be fine. Actually I hope that he'll never be stung. DS appears to have (can't remember name but) secondary reactions. Therefore he has hives, swelling etc and is treated with AH but the anaphylaxis occurs 4-6 hours later when its not expected.

It was a giant Greek wasp that stung me - and it f'ing hurt.

op it never hurts to have some AH handy (great for heat rash/ bites/ chicken pox etc) and if your worried take it to Grandma's. I would imagine though the risk of reaction is extremely rare (as helly says you need exposure first) it may make you and DH feel more relaxed.

Could you smoke the bees out? Humanly if possible.

[hellymelly]

Giant greek wasp...I am shuddering at the thought !

[helenaa]

Grandma had got it on a piece of paper so i think it was pretty p'd off! I just get massive localised swelling when anything bites me especially mosquitoes and feel a bit poorly too. Grandma gets really ill though and should really have an epipen but has high dose AH tabs. Thanks to all for the advice.

[LeMousquetaireAnonyme]

Heat destroys the venom. Have a pack of cigarettes ready and a lighter. Put the cigarette as close to the skin has you can.
You can do it over a candle or any flames but the cigarette (non smoker talking here) makes it easier to direct and handle around children.
It saved one of my friends twice when hiking and staying in the middle of nowhere.

I react badly to some mosquitoes and a clarithine tablet taken straight away ease the allergy. They have clarithine syrop for children (DD1 has it for some other matter), but if truly allergic to wasp or bee it won't be enough.

[PigletJohn]

we have an epipen handy but the anhistamine syrups like Piriton and the other thing are quite good for preventing gnat bites and things from getting so itchy and swollen. We discovered this after using it for hayfever. I have no idea how good it would be with a wasp or bee sting but I presume it would help, at least a bit.