Insect Bites and Stings in Children: When to Seek Care
An independent educational resource prepared by Mark M. Simonian, MD, FAAP
Sources checked: August 6, 2026 | Medical review completed: August 6, 2026
This page is for general education only and does not replace individualized medical advice. This resource does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. For questions about your own child, contact your child's current healthcare professional.
Magnolia Pediatrics, Valley Children's Healthcare
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Most insect bites and stings cause a temporary itchy or painful bump and can be cared for at home. Focus on breathing, whole-body symptoms, the location of swelling, severe pain, infection signs, and any tick-related fever or rash.
Urgent Warning Signs - Check This First
A large local reaction can look dramatic but is not the same as a severe allergic reaction. Breathing or throat symptoms, fainting, and widespread hives require immediate action.
CALL 911 NOW
Trouble breathing, wheezing, throat tightness, trouble swallowing, drooling, hoarse voice, blue or gray color, collapse, fainting, or unresponsiveness after a bite or sting
Hives or itching over much of the body, swelling away from the sting, repeated vomiting, or other signs of a severe allergic reaction
If your child has a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector for a severe allergic reaction, use it as directed and call 911
A suspected black widow or brown recluse spider bite, especially with severe pain, spreading muscle pain, abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness, or a darkening skin area
GET EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE NOW
A sting or bite near the eye, lips, mouth, throat, or penis causes swelling that interferes with seeing, eating, drinking, breathing, or urinating
Severe pain, rapidly worsening swelling, a serious reaction after many stings, or a child who looks very ill
An insect bite or sting with spreading redness, red streaks, pus, fever, or a child who is becoming more ill
CONTACT YOUR CHILD'S HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL TODAY
Pain, redness, swelling, or itching is difficult to control, continues to worsen, or is not improving as expected
A tick cannot be fully removed, the bite looks infected, or your child develops a fever or expanding rash in the days to weeks after a tick bite
There are frequent bites, concern about bedbugs or fleas in the home, or concern that a bite is related to a venomous insect or spider
Your child has a history of a serious insect-sting reaction or needs an updated allergy emergency plan, epinephrine prescription, or school/camp plan
Comfort Care for a Typical Bite or Sting
Wash the skin gently with soap and water. Use a cool, damp cloth or wrapped cold pack for pain, itching, and swelling
Help your child avoid scratching. Keep fingernails short and clean; scratching can break the skin and increase the risk of infection
For itch, calamine lotion or a low-potency topical steroid may help. Ask a pharmacist or healthcare professional about age-appropriate oral antihistamine or pain-relief options
A local red, itchy, or swollen area near a sting can be a normal reaction. Watch the child's overall condition and whether redness, pain, warmth, or swelling continues to spread
Bee and Wasp Stings
Move away from the area in case more insects are nearby. A cool compress can reduce pain and swelling
If a stinger is visible in the skin, remove it promptly by scraping it sideways with a flat edge or using a method your healthcare professional recommends. Do not delay care to search for a stinger
Monitor closely for whole-body hives, swelling away from the sting, vomiting, breathing symptoms, or faintness. These may be signs of anaphylaxis rather than a local reaction
Tick Bites: Remove the Tick Promptly
Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull straight out with steady, even pressure
Clean the skin and your hands afterward. Do not use matches, cigarettes, nail-polish remover, petroleum jelly, or other substances to try to make the tick detach
Do not wait for a healthcare visit to remove an attached tick. If small mouthparts remain, the skin may push them out as it heals; do not dig deeply into the skin
Watch for fever, rash, headache, unusual fatigue, joint pain, or flu-like illness in the days to weeks after a tick bite. Tell the clinician when and where the bite occurred
Prevention
Use age-appropriate EPA-registered insect repellent and follow the product label. Keep repellents away from hands, eyes, mouth, and broken skin
After outdoor play in areas where ticks may live, check the scalp, behind the ears, under the arms, around the waist, groin, behind the knees, and clothing
Reduce standing water near the home when practical, use protective clothing outdoors, and teach children not to disturb hives or nests
Call Preparation
When the bite or sting happened; what the insect or spider looked like if known; and where the child may have been exposed
Location of the bite or sting, how quickly swelling changed, photographs if helpful, and any first aid or medicines already used
Any previous serious reactions, epinephrine plan, fever, rash, breathing symptoms, vomiting, or signs of infection
For a tick: when it was removed, whether it was attached, and where the exposure likely occurred
Related Guides
Allergic Reactions, Hives and Swelling: When to Seek Care
Rashes and Skin: When to Seek Care
Poisoning and Possible Ingestion: What to Do Now
First Aid for Common Injuries: When to Seek Care
Sources and Medical Review
HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), Insect Bites and Stings in Children: Read source
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, What to Do After a Tick Bite: Read source
HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), How to Remove a Tick: Read source
HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), Insect Sting Allergies: Read source
HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), Spider Bites: Information for Families: Read source