Inflammation of a mosquito bite in a child

Inflamed mosquito bites can be very unpleasant for a child because of the often strong itching. Treatment can be given in various ways. First of all, one should try to prevent the child from scratching excessively on the affected skin area, as scratched bites carry the risk of infection with pathogens.

To relieve the itching, it helps to cool the puncture site, for example with a cold pack. This can also be done in the form of cooling gels or ointments, which are ideally stored in the refrigerator before use. In the event of additional severe redness, swelling or pain, ointments or gels can also be used to combat the histamine causing the complaints (antihistamines).

Low-dose cortisone ointment is also used for children with inflamed mosquito bites. Due to the thinner skin of children in comparison to adults, however, the active substance cortisone can penetrate the tissue and bloodstream more quickly, which is why the use of cortisone-containing ointment should only be considered if other agents do not have sufficient effect or if there are several bites causing severe complaints. Inflamed mosquito bites in pregnant women generally do not pose a danger to mother and child in Germany, since mosquitoes do not transmit dangerous diseases in this country.

However, when treating the bites, one should note that there is no information available for pregnant women about ointments or gels and especially those containing antihistaminic agents, as no medical studies are conducted on pregnant women. It is therefore recommended that if a mosquito bite becomes infected during pregnancy, it is best to limit yourself to simply cooling it with a cold pack or ice pack to counteract the annoying itching. The use of a so-called mosquito bite healer is also harmless, as it decomposes the foreign proteins of the mosquito through heat and thus reduces the itching.

In addition, tried and tested household remedies such as onion, curd wrap or ribwort plantain can also be used. An exception to the harmlessness of inflamed mosquito bites during pregnancy is a stay abroad. Depending on the destination, the expectant mother should inform herself in detail about the diseases transmitted by mosquitoes there and the possible preventive measures.