Insect Bites & Stings Related Articles & Blog Posts

My three-year-old son has a tendency toward major localized swelling following mosquito bites. I wonder if there is anything I should do to prevent or treat the swelling? Will he outgrow this? No one in our family has allergies,…

Mosquitoes bite infants and children more than any other insect. Mosquitoes can transmit dangerous blood-borne illnesses including West Nile Virus, malaria, encephalitis and many other diseases.

Five bug repellents scored high marks for preventing bites, and another did pretty well, but four common choices didn’t make the grade in May 2010 testing by Consumer Reports. As a parent and pediatrician, I want a mosquito and tick repellent that is safe, effective, and easy to use. It also helps if it doesn’t [...]

More infants and children are bitten by mosquitoes than by any other insect. But parents often don’t notice the bites on babies and young children because they don’t look like they do on teens and adults.

Organic, all natural, bug repellant? Oil of lemon eucalyptus, a natural, plant-based repellant is one of the repellant options newly recommended in 2005 by the CDC for mosquito protection in the United States, based on solid scientific evidence. Oil of lemon eucalyptus has been used elsewhere in the world for years, and is about as [...]

Because West Nile virus has made preventing mosquito bites more important in the United States, and because some insecticides are toxic, people have become increasingly concerned with finding gentle and effective solutions at preventing mosquito bites. DEET is the most effective ingredient at preventing mosquito bites. It does not kill mosquitoes, but repels them, discouraging [...]

In 2003, 32 states are already reporting West Nile virus activity, compared to only about 20 states at the same time in 2002. The CDC held a press conference on July 15, 2003, where CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding warned that we need to be prepared for a worse WNV season than last year, when [...]

West Nile virus has officially reached our hometown. By the end of the summer they say it will be all across the state. How concerned do I need to be? What are the symptoms? Treatment?

The best way to avoid bee stings is prevention. Effective prevention means not attracting bees and not frightening them if they are present. Prevention techniques are especially important in the fall, when most stings occur. It takes 2 million visits to flowers to make one pound of honey. In the autumn, as flowers disappear, bees [...]

Can you describe the different kinds of reactions caused by bee stings?