[Fl_Beak]

My daughter was in the veggie garden- barefoot - and stepped on one of our girls. She's been stung before, and it never amounted to much of a reaction beyond scaring her. This time the bee got her in the ball of the foot, almost between the big and second toe. It's a bit swollen and causing some discomfort. We've been putting hydro cortisone cream on it, and just gave her a dose of antihistamine. We tried to do epsom salts in the bath but she wouldn't get the foot wet for more than a second.

Any other things that could provide her some relief?

 

[Roland]

A six pack for you? The less fuss you make, sometimes the better. Otherwise, try an icecube in a plastic bag, hold it on the offended body part.

Roland

 

[BeeCurious]

Ice?

and maybe a pony...

 

[Fl_Beak]

LOL.
She's a pretty tough kid, just hoping she sleeps tonight...

I once got stung on the foot, and recall that being itchy madness for two or three days...

 

[Hambone]

A good beating with a belt will take her mind off her foot.

 

[mothergoosemagic]

You can make a thick paste of baking soda or meat tenderizer and put that on the sting area. A poultice of mud works great, too, but that kind of depends on how tolerant the parentals are. Kids never seem to mind that treatment.

 

[Fl_Beak]

The mud pack was round one, I guess that puts us in the tolerant group! She fell asleep so we may be ok...

 

[Countryboy]

Wet tobacco at the sting site can alleviate sting pain. Chewing common plantain leaf into a poultice applied to the sting can also alleviate the pain.

Tell her what a big girl is...she got stung just like Mommy/Daddy.

Don't fuss too much over boo boos unless you want to teach them to milk it for all it's worth.

 

[BeeaBee]

Kiss it better. That always works.:gh:

 

[kbenz]

hot water, opens the pores and lets the histamines out

 

[Deamiter]

hot water, opens the pores and lets the histamines out

Hot water does work, but not by letting anything out the pores. If you soak the foot in very hot water (not scalding -- up to 120-130 degrees F) it will feel VERY itchy for a few seconds. The histamine is released all at once, and the skin will be depleted for some time (usually an hour or two).

It's not a long term solution, but it works reliably -- ESPECIALLY if she can avoid scratching (and making it worse) when the foot gets SUPER itchy in the hot water.

 

[kbenz]

mine don't get itchy in the water and usually lasts bout 10-12 hours

 

[Chick]

Probably late to do it now, but the next time it happens, put ammonia on it, asap. If you can find a pharmacy that still sells Spirits of Ammonia, that is the best, but any ammonia will help. I told one guy about this, and he used Windex with ammonia, and said it was the best thing he ever used. Works on wasp stings as well. The nicotine in tobacco, works as an analgesic, if you make a paste out of tobacco. Baking soda paste works somewhat.

 

[fish_stix]

I second the use of ammonia, for any insect stings. We keep a bottle of household ammonia in the bathroom for just such use. Works especially good on fire ant bites.

 

[MikeJ]

Strange... When I was little - I'd step on a yellow-jacket and my mom would put ice on it and then we'd forget about it. Pain is a fact of life. But maybe I was a strange kid, I got lots of cuts, bruises, scrapes - so a sting kind of fit in.

 

[Fl_Beak]

Normally she follows the ice it and forget rule (I hope she doesn't take that to college) but the sting was giving her a bit of a fit. She woke up when I went in to check on her this morning, gave me a hug and went back to sleep, so I think my gal is back in good form.

She wouldn't let her foot go into lukewarm water with out wailing, I'd not like to hear the screams if I put her foot into anything near 120degrees! Thanks all for the advice, I'm sure this won't be our last sting over here...

 

[bigevilgrape]

the benadryl probably helped her sleep too. It knocks me out cold.

 

[Fishdude123]

DMSO works great to get the swelling down if you don't mind the taste. Dad is a vet but I understand you can get it at the feed store for horses. DOn't put on too much or it will burn you.