Wasps - How To Avoid Being Stung And What To Do If You Are.

As a Mum I know that I'm not alone in worrying about the threat of wasp stings in the Summer. In this post I will share some tips on how to avoid wasp stings and what to do if you are stung.

As well as being unpleasant, in some people stings can cause severe reactions and over 300,000 people in the UK suffer allergic reactions to them. Would you know how to treat anaphylactic shock if a child or an adult with you experienced it?

The following may help parents to minimise wasp threats:
• Encourage your child to stay calm in the presence of wasps. The best advice is to move away slowly; waving arms or swatting wasps will increase their tendency to sting
• Wasps are attracted to bright colours. If you’re planning to spend time outdoors pastel shades will help prevent your child being targeted
• Don’t walk barefoot outside and look out for wasps before sitting down
• Wasps will make a beeline for sweet drinks and foods. Encourage children to use lids and wrap food as soon as you’ve finished eating
• Ensure children wipe their faces and hands after eating sweet things like lollies and ice-creams to minimize further temptation for wasps

If you are stung, unless you have a known allergic response to a sting, simple first aid is all that is required
•Wash and clean the sting as soon as possible, handy wipes are excellent for this
•Apply ice to the sting to cool it down and take the redness out of it
•Taking a pain killer can help with the discomfort
•If you have allergic reactions then use an antihistamine and seek medical advice immediately
•Some people say to use vinegar on wasp stings but this is not proven scientifically.

Anaphylactic reactions can range in intensity, from minor to severe. Due to this, it is advisable for parents who think their child may be suffering an anaphylactic shock to call 999 immediately and seek professional medical help. The Anaphylaxis Campaign advises the following steps:
• Call 999 immediately to seek medical help
• Keep the patient calm
• Lay the patient down, with their feet raised to increase the blood flow to the heart
• If there is a sign the patient will be sick, turn them onto their side into the recovery position until the ambulance arrives

Dr Shuaib Nasser, Consultant in Allergy, Addenbrookes NHS Trust Hospital, Cambridge and member of The Anaphylaxis Campaign Clinical and Scientific Advisory Panel comments, “While just 0.5% of the population suffers an acute allergic reaction to wasp stings, we always advise simple precautions to minimize any risks. If you or your children suffer a severe allergic reaction after a bee or wasp sting it is important to seek medical help immediately and then ask your GP to refer you to an Allergy Specialist.”

UKWaspWatch map tracks sightings of wasps to create a picture of wasp hotspots across the country. 20p will be donated to the Anaphylaxis charity every time a person logs a wasp or wasps’ nest sighting onto UKWaspWatch throughout the summer.

I would be interested to know of any tips you have for avoiding wasps or for treating wasp stings.

Photo by Flickr Sean Tiernan