Urgent - child’s skin irritated/bleeding from flea bites

[Cocacolathanks]

Hey everyone,

Hope everyone is enjoying Christmas! Just a quick question for anyone with pets or experience with flea bites on kid’s skin.

My nephew (I just found out today) has been badly bitten on his bum/back by the cat’s fleas. The cat has been given to a shelter (the family was not really in a state to care for it properly so thankfully they agreed to rehome it, much better for the cat too) but the house has not been professionally treated.

My nephew’s skin is badly irritated. Scabs, open bleeding scabs, itchiness and dry patches. I’ve advised them to contact a GP immediately of course.

However, does anyone have any experience that could help? I was going to suggest camomile for the itchiness but don’t want to risk further issues.

Also, the house definitely needs pest control, doesn’t it?

Hoping someone can offer some advice! I’ve also rung up the local pharmacy, just waiting for them to ring back.

Thank you and merry Christmas

Could it be bed bugs? (Sorry had n,t red above.)

If they arent in a position to care for a cat properly are you sure that they are looking after DNephew appropriately?
Consider if there are safeguarding issues?

I've never used Indorex but I know people who have and it's good stuff. They also need to flea the cat regularly with decent stuff like Advocate something from the vet, not Frontline and definitely nothing from Bob Martin.

Kittens can carry mange (mites) too, so have the GP check him over as the treatment for mites is completely different.

Indorex for the fleas, it’s brilliant stuff.

Antihistamine and tepid baths for the bites - I had a massive reaction to a bug bite over the summer - the whole back of my leg from knee to bum was covered, I found tepid baths with a sprinkle of salt (not loads, a table spoon maybe to like 6 inches of water) helped with the itchy, plus it cooled the irritated area.

I found if the bites got warm they itched more, the only thing that shifted the bites in the end though was a month long course of dr prescribed antihistamine and two ten day rounds of antibiotics as they got infected (I couldn’t not scratch them )

Indorex and very very thorough hoovering should do it. If the cat was still there treating the cat would actually help if not just hoover like mad and spray Indorex.

For the rash piroton, and some kind of diprobase or other cream to sooth the sores.

To everyone worried about safeguarding, honestly the family is lovely (not direct relatives, it’s my godchild basically) but the parents’ housekeeping skills are not great and they can be lazy when it comes to anything other than themselves or their children - hence why I actually suggested they rehome the cat for its own good. They fed it, vaccinated, etc. but they didn’t seem to understand that a pet is like a child. It has important needs too and it was unlikely that they could meet this needs.
The son is 100% safe and cared for. Other than too much screen time he’s a polite, happy kid with decent hygiene for a 12 year old and happy at home. Unfortunately they’re not very good with getting ‘on top’ of a problem and start stressing out instead of tackling it. The only reason I stepped in really.

So a LOT of people mentioned Indorex. I’m going to buy it now and get it sent to them ASAP. Did everyone buy it from Amazon or is it cheaper elsewhere?

Also I didn’t even think of scabies. Have got in touch with my dad who is a GP, sending him pictures of the rash to see what he can suggest as the actual GP is not reachable.

Other than that I’ve noted down Sudocream, antihistamines, diprobase and the other options like salt baths.

Anything else I should do? I’m honestly dealing with an issue like this for the first time so don’t want to miss anything!

My dad says it’s scabies so... not good to hear but at least it can be treated accordingly!

My daughter reacts badly to cat flea bites. Our first port of call was obviously to treat the cat/house. We also used antihistamine for DD, and as I’ve recently started selling Avon, I thought I’d try their cannabis sativa cream on her, which has been great.

I’ve ordered the Indorex so I’m really hoping it’s as good as I’m being told! Otherwise may have to contact pest control.

As for the skin, they’re going to get a topical ointment for scabies from a pharmacy.

The only thing that confused me is scabies are microscopic whereas we have seen the actual ‘fleas’ with our own eyes. So does that mean they have scabies mites AND fleas to deal with?

If house hygiene is bad, potentially yes.

It seems an odd location for flea bites, they are usually around feet ankles and lower legs, they tend to live in carpet and jump onto feet in my (bitter) experience.

@Chemenger the bites are on his buttocks, legs and some random ones on arms.

However, the insides of his fingers and toes have been madly itching. They got OTC scabies cream so hopefully it should work along with the Indorex.

If its scabies the whole household needs to be treated

So scabies as well as flea bites going untreated? I would say that is a safeguarding concern actually. The parents should be the ones being proactive and asking for advice. Not leaving it until a godparent has to get involved. Poor kid.

@Wolfiefan the parents have scabies/bites too, it’s not just the child. They were applying anti-eczema cream for a day or 2 but it obviously didn’t work so they started asking around and I got involved. I do feel sorry for the kid but honestly his parents aren’t abusive. At worst they’re just lazy. The mums entire legs were covered in bites too.

Letting your child suffer because you’re “lazy “ is pretty abusive really.

They certainly don't sound lovely! Why didn't they take the child to the GP or pharmacist themselves? Neglect can be worse for a child than abuse

I have only come across scabies in houses that were utterly filthy so I think this is a safeguarding concern.

I do feel sorry for the kid but honestly his parents aren’t abusive. At worst they’re just lazy. The mums entire legs were covered in bites too.

I think the word 'abuse/abusive' beings a defensiveness that isn't needed OP. The fact that the mum had it worse doesn't by any means justify the fact that the child has a medical issue that has gone untreated. It is neglect, not laziness. I realise this is hard for you as you involvement is close but from the outside you are presenting a family that need help from professional agencies.

This is neglect - you need to step up OP and get them to sort out the house. It's not a safe environment for the child if he has scabies and flea bites. Poor kid.

How is the little chap today?

[quote Cocacolathanks]@doctorhamster have you tried/tested Indorex? I’ve seen SO many options on Amazon so I just don’t know which to buy and what would actually work![/quote]
There are many sellers of Indorex on Amazon, plus several alternative anti flea products that come up in a search for indorex.
Indorex does work, although I've not needed to use it for many years.
I'd go with any form of that indicates the seller is reliable, or dispatched by Amazon, and has the fastest delivery.

You are unlikely to need multiple cans unless it's a huge house, and I wouldn't faff around with maybe saving 50p by buying an alternative brand.

They have anthisan too, which I always find effective for bites, and can be used on children 2+.

When my son had a rash I had spoken to the GP and pharmacy and treated it by the end of that day. That's one parents should do for their child's health condition, everything within their power and as quickly as possible. Part of not neglecting your children is treating their health issues proactively (even if you are neglecting your own health also, them having bites doesn't mean they are not neglecting their child).

Another part of parenting is to provide them with a warm, safe environment. Free form filth, fleas, and other parasites is a good start. If you're living in an environment where parasites are thriving then this is another issue of not being proactive about solving problem, but also one of neglecting to prevent these issues.

So they are not doing the work they need to provide the environment, then they are not dealing with the issues that arise. That's two levels of neglect. On top of that, it's not even them doing the proactive problem solving now. They have let somebody else swoop in, get rid of the car (who was also being neglected) and deal with their child's health problem and flea infestation.

There is no responsibility. They are being irresponsible at a cost to their child. That is what neglect is. So actually this picture for an outsider seems like a complex safeguarding issue with the parents neglecting themselves, their a child, their pet and their home. Anybody who has ever done any safeguarding training is not going to see this as anything but a safeguarding issue.

Neglect and abuse are not the same thing. Abuse is active and intentional, essentially. Whereas neglect is 'lazy' and passive.