YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH: SPIDER BITES, TICK BITES AND WASP STINGS
Spider bites
Australian spiders, other than the funnel-web and red-back, are not known to be lethal, but bites can cause severe pain, swelling and local tissue damage. See your doctor if your child’s pain persists, or the bite looks infected.
Treatment
Remove the tick immediately, being careful to get its head out too. It may need to be lifted out with a sharp point, for example, tweezers or scissors. Do no squeeze it or pull it suddenly, as this can release more poison into the body. After removal of the tick, apply a pressure immobilisation bandage and see your doctor. If your child is unwell and it is after hours, go directly to a hospital. An antivenom is available if your child is very sick.
Tick bites
Ticks are small insects which attach themselves to the skin and feed on the host’s blood. The bite usually goes unnoticed and is not painful. You may notice a tick engorged with blood embedded in the skin a few days after a bush walk, especially if long clothing was not worn. Ticks wait on foliage for a host to brush against.
The east coast of Australia is home to one particularly nasty type of tick called the Australian Paralysis Tick. Once embedded in the skin, this tiny creature swells to the size of a pea, engorged with blood. This may take several days. It releases poison into the body via its saliva. A bite from this particular tick can lead to gradual paralysis and even death.
Wasp stings
Wasps are aggressive and can inflict multiple stings. Stings usually cause pain and swelling, but allergic reactions are not common. Remove the insect carefully and if it is dead keep it for later identification. If your child has persistent pain, or develops sudden difficulty in breathing, seek immediate medical attention.
Beware of drinking straight from open soft drink cans when outside. Wasps are attracted to sugar and may enter a can and a child can inadvertently be stung if he then drinks from it.
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