How to Protect Your Child From Insect Stings

With warm weather finally being in full bloom, many of us rushed outside to spend some much-needed time in nature. However, aside from beautiful smells and stunning colors, warm weather also brings out various insects. This usually doesn’t pose a serious problem for adults, who already know how to act and behave.

But children are an entirely different story. Being naturally curious, children often like to explore the world around them, usually with little to no fear. As admirable as this is, it can sometimes lead to serious issues, especially if they come into direct contact with insects that are anything but harmless, such as hornets, wasps or fire ants. This can pose an even greater issue for children who are allergic to insect bites.

That’s why every parent needs to find ways to protect their kids from insect bites. Here are just some of the ways you can do so.

Get Your Hands on a Good Repellent

The easiest way you can ensure that your kid stays sting-free during the time spent outdoors is by sparing them with a good insect repellent spray. Currently, there’s a great variety of these sprays on the market, so you can easily find something that works for you. For instance, even though your kid might not be allergic to wasp stings, this experience is certainly not something they should go through. So, even if your kid doesn’t have any serious allergies, you should still get your hands on a reliable wasp repellent spray. If, on the other hand, your kid suffers from allergies, you should also get them a medical alert bracelet or necklace to ensure that they stay safe at all times.

Remove Any Immediate Threats

Next, if you live in a house with your own backyard and your kids spend a lot of time playing outside, you should make sure you remove any immediate threats. Before you let your kids spend time outside unsupervised, make sure you check your backyard for any wasp or hornet’s nests. Also, check for any ant nests because these, in particular, look super appealing to little children. If you find any of such threats in your backyard, contact professionals who are knowledgeable and equipped with the necessary tools to get rid of them safely. Don’t ever try to do this yourself, as you may end up causing more issues than you’ve intended.

Teach Your Kids Proper Behavior

Moreover, aside from doing all in your power to protect them from potential harm, you also need to educate your kids. Teach them about various insects that can potentially bring them harm. Explain to them that, even though those creatures are small, they can be quite dangerous. Also, explain to them that insects are a part of their environment and that they shouldn’t be disturbed. We all should learn how to live harmoniously with nature instead of trying to completely adjust it to ourselves.

Go for Some Smart Gardening

​​Finally, you can also employ some smart gardening hacks to your advantage and that way minimize the potential insect infestation in your backyard. For instance, peppermint, lavender, basil, rosemary and marigold are all natural insect repellents. So, if you choose to make them a part of your backyard garden, you will ensure that there will be considerably fewer insects in your immediate surroundings. Not only are these plants and herbs great for keeping the insects away, but they are also quite delicious when used in cooking. So, planting them in your yard will benefit you in more ways than one.

As long as we all learn proper behavior and do our best to stay safe while spending time in nature, we can relax and enjoy the time spent outdoors. For some additional peace of mind, find a good insect repellent and thus ensure that both you and your kids stay safe.