How to treat a bee sting in children

Posted on July 31, 2019

When dealing with bee stings in children, remove the stinger as quickly as possible, so the venom has less time to do its dirty work. You’ll see it sticking up out of the skin. Pull the stinger out with your fingers.
Gently wash the area with soap and water.
Apply an ice pack or cold, wet washcloth to the bee sting for a few minutes.
If your little one is in pain, an age-appropriate dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen should ease the ache.
If your child is also itchy, ask her doctor if you can give her an over-the-counter antihistamine. Calamine lotion or a corticosteroid cream can also be used to treat bee stings in children (they relieve itching). It’s especially important to deal with any itchiness so your child isn’t tempted to scratch: Beestings are an open, if teensy, wound — an invitation for infection-causing bacteria to sneak in.