Please help - Son highly allergic to ant bites!

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Please, anyone that can help, please respond. My 7 yr old son seems to be having a severe allergic reaction to ant bites. A few weeks ago he was bitten on his ankle and at first didn't seem to have any reaction. M-I-L sprayed area with topical Benadryl right after he was bitten. He complained and limped around for the next few days and I fussed at him for over-reacting (after all....I thought it was merely and ant bite and we have never had any problems with him or any of our other children being allergic before). The third day of him complaining and limping around, I took a closer look and noticed his entire ankle had swollen so bad you couldn't even see the bone. The bite was on the outside of the ankle but even the inside of the ankle was swollen. The entire top of his foot was swollen down to his toes. I called the pediatrician and he said to give him liquid Benadryl and keep his foot elevated.(This was at 12:30 a.m.) By 7:00 a.m. the swelling was as far up as midcalf. I rushed him to the pediatrician and he perscribed steroids and an antibiotic for 5 days along with a hydorcortisone cream. He also said to keep it elevated and for him NOT to put ANY weight on that leg. I went home and began treatment. The swelling began to go down by the next day, but his ankle became discolored - a yellowish/green color almost like an old bruise around the entire ankle. After another day it changed color to a more pinkish-red/light purple. I contacted the pediatrician and he said this was a "normal" reaction under the circumstances and to just continue the medications as he prescribed. This incident had me really spooked and just yesterday, my son was bitten again on the same ankle. I immediately started giving him liquid Benadryl, applying the hydrocortosone cream and applying ice packs to prevent swelling. Last night all seemed well. This morning it is beginning to swell. I hate to have to go back to the pediatrician and put him back on the steroids and antibiotics. I don't like steroids (he sometimes has to take them for his asthma) and I don't want to give him so much antibiotics all the time that he becomes immune to them. By the way...the ant problem is at my in-laws place and they watch my son for me while I work. If anyone knows of any treatment for such reactions to ant bites (and YES we are sure it was ant bites both times), PLEASE send them my way. My son was also bitten on his finger while trying to get the ant off his ankle yesterday. I'm watching that area closely as well. I knew if I could find help anywhere it would be here. Thank you in advance for your responses.

-- Greenthumbelina (sck8107@aol.com), August 12, 2001

Answers

DO NOT MESS AROUND WITH THIS! Allergic reactions are nothing to hesitate over. GET HIM TO THE DOCTOR NOW, and if you can't keep him away from the ants or get his caretakers to keep a closer eye on him, find other caretakers.

I have developed an allergy to wasp stings. It has been 3 weeks since I was stung, and my heart rate is still elevated (115 from 70something) and my bp is still whacked out (dropped from 104/78 to 98/55). I'm exhausted all the time. Don't mess around! Get him care now!

-- Sojourner (notime4@summer.spam), August 12, 2001.


It sounds like you are doing what you can from your end, however your Son's guardians need to address this right now! Firstly "The Orkin Man" needs to be called(or whoever) and the house and immediate yard where your Son is staying needs taken care of. I know that you know, this is a life threatening circumstance and will treat it as such. Call an exterminator! Also I would insist on protective clothing for your Son. Substantial long trousers, good shoes and socks. I hope you will keep us posted on how he does.

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), August 12, 2001.

I keep Benadryl capsuls close by and take one as soon as I'm stung by anything.

This is not a time for you to be cheap or worry about medication. Your sons life is at stake. If you're not happy with the doctor, get the boy to another doctor....but GET HIM TO A DOCTOR!

Get the inlaws a container of food grade Diatomaceous Earth and have them do regular patrols for the ant mounds. Sprinkling the DE on the mounds will kill them in no time.

Where I live in Texas, you can't stand in one spot very long without getting bit/stung by something! But the DE and the chooks have been a great help in cutting down these buggers; not easy on a large acreage.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), August 12, 2001.


I would be afraid the pesticides would cause Central Nervous System or Lung problems, and use them only if you can't control it otherwise. Maybe landsaping a little area for play at the in laws might help discourage ants. Long, light-weight pants tucked in socks, are in order. Is your son eating good whole foods? I am asking because of the immune system's importance in fighting allergies.

-- rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), August 12, 2001.

You need to take your son to an allergy specialist immediately. As others said, this is not something to mess with. What would have happened if he was bitten on the neck/face? Do NOT let him run outdoors unprotected until you get a handle on this!

A kettleful of boiling water per anthill will also kill ants effectively, but ants are so ubiquitous that I'd still not let my son out until he has seen an allergist and you have a better handle on the problem. It sounds like it has been very scary for you. Good luck!

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), August 12, 2001.



Also if there is good health food store near by check with them .There is a couple of natural things that can help.I would not worry about chemical right now , just put them down where you can .It's going to be hard to keep a boy away from ants so try to keep on top of the ants .Your doctor can also give you a prescription for something stronger than benadryl , generic name hydroxyz hcl .I had to get this for my daughter when benadryl would not work .

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), August 12, 2001.

Thank you all for responding. We have begun to take the precautionary steps that many of you have mentioned here. Today my son seems better. Not quite as much swelling as yesterday. I am keeping him on the Benadryl and I am still applying the hydrocortisone cream. As for the ant problem at my in-laws, it is a real problem that they have been addressing for quite some time now. Trouble is the rain here. Just when you think you've gotten rid of them, a rainstorm comes up and the little menaces just start coming out of the woodwork (or the ground as the case may be). I will continue to keep a very close watch on my son and the ant population at my in-laws place. Again, thank you so much for your responses and concern.

-- Greenthumbelina (sck8107@aol.com), August 13, 2001.

Ant bites are sure death for me. I keep a prescribed "Epi-Pen" with me at all times for self injecting when needed and I have needed on two occasions. Ask you doctor for the Rx, even ask for 2 at a time if your school nurse would let you keep one for bites that occur there and one for home. Take one with you when traveling everytime. The more bites a person gets over time, the greater the allergic reaction will be.

-- Carole (carle@earthlink.net), August 13, 2001.

I work for an allergist, and I agree that he should see an allergy specialist. If he is truly allergic to the ants, allergy desensitization injections are the best form of treatment. Epi Pens can be used but only in severe reactions where the breathing or cardiovascular system are affected. Once he is desensitized, he would not have to worry about bites or carry an Epi Pen which research has shown that very frequently an Epi Pen was not available with a subsequent bite. If he is not allergic but having large local reactions, the allergist should be able to recommend a treatment plan to use as soon as he is bitten which would probably include a strong Cortisone cream, Benadryl or an even stronger antihistamine, and if necessary the oral steroid. Usually, an anaphylactic reaction, which can be a life-threatening reaction, would involve more generalized symptoms such as a rash, breathing problems, drop in blood pressure, or such. Since he already has asthma, he may experience more wheezing and coughing. He may just have very large local reactions that will need aggressive treatment as soon as he is bitten to control them. And of course, trying to control the ants or at least keep him away from them. But still, starting with a good allergist is the best step. I also agree with looking at diet and imune system problems. A good heathy whole foods diet may help improve the immune system. Hope things go well and you find a solution to help your son.

-- sherry s. (natmatters@mail.istal.com), August 13, 2001.

I agree with most or all of the above. First, you've got to make sure your son lives. That means having the right treatments available, all the time - TALK TO A DOCTOR - get the stuff your son or his carers need to alleviate a medical emergency. Make sure as soon as he can that he understands what's going on, the trade-offs involved, and is confident in his knowledge - sufficiently so that he can over-ride a mush-headed teacher if he has to to use his medication - even if what that takes is for him to ring 911 and have them tell the school to let him take his medication.

Beyond that, the ants have to be controlled. Boiling water is great - no residual poisons, totally lethal to the pests contacted. If people won't use it, in this case actively and aggressively, then they care more about ants than your son, and they aren't fit carers for him no matter how nice they may be otherwise - their priorities aren't yours. Beyond that, DE sounds like a good supplementary answer, and possibly a good answer for indoor nests, where you don't know exactly where the nest is, or can't reach it to pour the water in. If neither work, then it's time for them to resort to chemical warfare, or lose the company of your son. While they may well have been trying, the situation has escalated, and they've got to realise it - it's not just a matter of death (which he may well avoid), it's also a matter of permanent damage, so that what happens now may do enough dameage to him physically so that he loses his leg in twenty years due to damaged circulation.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 13, 2001.



I must admit that I never thought of damaged circulation or much about my sons diet. But I will be paying much closer attention to these things from here on out. Thanks to those for bringing it to my attention. I'm glad to say that my son is a very dood eater and loves a variety of healthy foods so I think we at least have that going for us. :o)

-- Greemthumbelna (sck8107@aol.com), August 13, 2001.

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