Small children are often curious about bugs. They may want to touch them and get a closer look, but insects that sting should be considered 'hands off'.
Doctors say if a child gets stung, it's important to act quickly.
For bee stings, remove the stinger right away with tweezers or your fingernails and put a cold compress on it.
Doctors say there's no way to tell if your child will be allergic to bee stings so it's best to watch them carefully if it happens.
Even kids who have been stung in the past could still have an allergic reaction to future stings.
Family history of allergies or asthma may increase the likelihood of a bee sting allergy.
Shortly after a child is stung, parents should watch carefully for signs of allergy or anaphylactic reaction like lip, tongue and airway swelling or difficulty breathing.
Parents need to be aware of more subtle symptoms as well.
"You might first just notice that local swelling and then some swelling around your mouth and you have to pay close attention to whether the child is able to speak clearly, if they're breathing. Sometimes they start to drool if they're non-verbal," said Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital pediatrician Dr. Elaine Schulte.
If you believe your child is experiencing an allergic reaction to a sting, get medical help quickly.
If you know your child is allergy-prone, talk to your pediatrician about getting an auto injection kit to have on hand.
