Ant Bite question...any doctors?

[TaChapm]

About a week ago Tyler got into a fire ant bed and was bitten several times on his foot in the same area. We gave him benadryl and washed it for several days. Yesterday I noticed that it was starting to look infected. We have been cleaning it with Peroxide. Today it has 2 red streaks coming out from it. It isn't hot or feverish and he isn't running a fever but I'm thinking that these streaks coming from it aren't good.

Any advice? My mom thought I needed to take him to the ER tonight but clearly it is bad timing with me recovering from a C-section and having a newborn. Help!

Tara
Mommy to Jackson 11-10-02
Tyler 6-9-05
& Baby Jaci 8-10-06


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[Momof3Labs]

I don't like the sound of the red streaks either - that sounds like an infection to me, and the sooner you get him seen, the easier it will be to get rid of it.

Hope that he feels better soon!!

[chiqanita]

Not a doctor but have had several experiences with Fire Ant bites.
Last month DH stuck his hand into a bush where fire ants were living...he took his hand out quick and shook as hard as he could...the little boogers hung on. He had several ant bites on his hands and wrist. He washed and applied Neosporin right away. He did that for a few weeks and only recently has it started to look decent, like it's healing. I knelt right onto a fire ant hill and had bites up and down my legs. Again, weeks of itching and treating.

I would say to call your pedi right now, don't they have a nurse on duty? She could at least ease your mind if it's something you can wait on. I hope it gets better soon!

[kijip]

Take him to the doctor or at the very least call the doctor, sooner rather than later. If you just can't drive either have a friend or your spouse drive him or call for an aid car. It honestly does not sound like something to mess around with.

[Kungjo]

He needs to see a doctor.

The same thing happened to my DH when we were dating a few years back. He came to visit me and we went for a walk in the park. My dog stepped into an ant hill and DH brushed some of the ants off her. It was his first encounter with fire ants. They bit him on the hand. Turns out he had an allergic reaction and two days later, he had a red streak going up his arm. DH had to go to the ER for a heavy dose of antibiotics. Also want to let you know that he got bit a second time a few years later and was suffering the beginnings of an anaphylactic reaction. Luckily he was a medical resident at the time and knew how to self-treat himself. Now we carry an epi-pen for him. I also have a mini-epi-pen for kids for DD #1 just in case because her leg swelled up pretty bad from her first fire ant bite. DH is worried that her next encounter would be a lot worse.

Not trying to alarm you or give you a heart attack, but that's our worst case scenario. At best, you should call your ped or whoever is on call for him and ask him now. May save you a trip to the ER or doctor's office. GOOD LUCK!!!

HTH

[Aunt to sweet baby boy]

Tara,

just wanted to check in and see if Tyler is doing any better. I hope that both he and you are doing ok.

Ilana, aka Nana to my sweet nephew Avi

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