[SoxyMama]

My daughter seems to attract mosquitoes. She always has bites. However the last two days they have become substantially more than bites looking more like welts. More itchy and annoying than usual, redder around the area, white blistery and swollen. Then after yesterdays cluster today settling to look like typical bites. She had a similar reaction to a new one today. I am sure they are mosquitoes as she says she hears them buzzing. Should I be concerned about a developing allergy? She is otherwise healthy it is just the appearance of them that concerns me.

[envs]

My SIL saw a dr about hers. Apparently it indicates an allergy to the mosquito bites. And explains my dd's reaction and the resulting scar that looks like a bruise....months and months after the swelling goes away.

[Jemstar]

Probably not, but antihistamine will help. Sometimes children have an over active immune system which leads to massive welts from mossie bites/ant bites etc. Think the size of oranges and larger. These can be a bit worrisome because they can cause an abcess or cellulitis can set up easily (ask me how I know!). Children who have these sorts of swellings need prednisolone and antihistamine to control the swelling, but it is not actually a systemic allergic reaction and most of the time is grown out of over time. It is actually known as Skeeter's Syndrome. The immunologist that my son saw told me that children with this kind of reaction are actually less likely to have an anaphylactic reaction to insect bites than the general populace. You should however seek you own medical advice if you are unduly worried.

This post has been edited by Jemstar: 24/01/2013, 10:37 PM

[SoxyMama]

Thanks they definately aren't that big just a bit more than usual and angrier looking. Will look antihistamine if it continues. She has had a reaction to unknown cause in the past with hives from head to toe. So I do wonder if she is more prone to allergy.

[**Xena**]

My SIL saw a dr about hers. Apparently it indicates an allergy to the mosquito bites. And explains my dd's reaction and the resulting scar that looks like a bruise....months and months after the swelling goes away.

The bruising thing often happens due to scratching rather than allergy.

Mine get like that sometimes. I'm mildly allergic to a lot of insects so I wouldn't be surprised if I'm also mildly allergic to mosquitoes.

[rjflc69]

My daughter seems to attract mosquitoes. She always has bites. However the last two days they have become substantially more than bites looking more like welts. More itchy and annoying than usual, redder around the area, white blistery and swollen. Then after yesterdays cluster today settling to look like typical bites. She had a similar reaction to a new one today. I am sure they are mosquitoes as she says she hears them buzzing. Should I be concerned about a developing allergy? She is otherwise healthy it is just the appearance of them that concerns me.

DS2 has exactly the same issue and the poor thing gets eaten alive. In addition I am allergic to one of the ingredients in bug repellant so am unable to apply this to hom or if DH does I can't touch him. Found the mozzie bands don't work either.

Never thought of seeing the GP about this but maybe we should?

Fiona

[Sunnycat]

Not that this is the same thing, but when we first moved to Australia I was 7. Had never been bitten by a mosquito in the
UK. I attracted Mosquitos like nothing else. My legs, neck and face all swelled up so badly my parents thought I had turned into the elephant man. They took me down to the chemist and I got calamine lotion and it went away after a week or so.

After a few more months the bites didn't swell up so badly. I'm not sure if I was allergic or just reacting to the bites because I'd never been bitten before but it went away over time.

[iwanttosleepin]

I attract mosquitoes and have an annoying reaction to them. I am always the first to get bitten. But mine only itch for a few minutes initially, then vanish and then 36 hours later come back with a vengeance. Really itchy and with big red welts.

I have an even worse rash to midges and sandflies.

Funny enough I have almost no reaction - just a regular little lump from march flies.

[niggles]

My daughter reacts badly to them too. I took her to the GP after she started limping for several days after a day at the river. He had a good look and said to watch out for signs of cellulitis but other than that wasn't too concerned in our case.

[envs]

The bruising thing often happens due to scratching rather than allergy.

Mine get like that sometimes. I'm mildly allergic to a lot of insects so I wouldn't be surprised if I'm also mildly allergic to mosquitoes.

I thought it was due to scratching too, but DD has always had bad reactions, is only 2 and she has only recently started learning to scratch. I tested it on myself by not scratching a bad mossie bite -the resulting bruise-like scar was the same...think it's more to do with skin pigmentation?