My poor little peanut. She's allergic to mosquito bites. The last few summers when we visited my folks in Montana, Alice received her fair share of mosquito and horsefly bites and we spent many a sleepless night trying to relieve her pain and the "itchies." It seems worse this summer. Fortunately, we have relatively few biting bugs in Washington. But for the ones that are here, they manage to find her.
Last night we went to a good-bye party for a much-loved naturalist who was recently laid off. It was an outdoor potluck, down by the river, with lots of trees and nice shady spots for the skeeters to hang out. We were there at peak skeeter time - 5pm to 7pm - and while Henry and I came away with nothing, Alice came away with 9 bites.
This one on her wrist is the worst. 
A few weeks ago, I asked friends for their home remedies. Since then, we've tried witch hazel, Caladryl, Calamine lotion, Benadryl, hydrocortisone cream, aloe vera, rubbing alcohol, deoderant, and a bath in oatmeal lotion stuff. These remedies have done very little to help her. I think I'll be giving the dr a call today. Might also call my mom - she's the only other person I know who is allergic to mosquito bites and I think she takes Vitamin B1 and has had very little problem with bites since she started taking it. Wonder if little people can take it too?
A few weeks ago, I asked friends for their home remedies. Since then, we've tried witch hazel, Caladryl, Calamine lotion, Benadryl, hydrocortisone cream, aloe vera, rubbing alcohol, deoderant, and a bath in oatmeal lotion stuff. These remedies have done very little to help her. I think I'll be giving the dr a call today. Might also call my mom - she's the only other person I know who is allergic to mosquito bites and I think she takes Vitamin B1 and has had very little problem with bites since she started taking it. Wonder if little people can take it too?And for now... I just wish I could take some of the pain away. It was a rough night for both of us...
6-19-09 - Update. And the miracle cure that put all those other remedies to shame - Zyrtec! I love our pediatrician and all her good advice.
2 comments:
I'm Alice's "allergic-to-bug-bite" twin! I also get huge welts that itch for days when I'm bitten by any biting bug. Put me, ten people and one mosquito in a room, and I am the one who gets bitten. May have to hang out with Alice more! A new bite "reactivates" the old bites and makes them as itchy as the new ones. Never found a remedy that worked either, may have to try Zyrtek though.
I hope the B-1 works for Alice. It sure does for me. It does take awhile though. Mom
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