Sterling has a really bad allergy to insect bites. Whenever he gets stung, the bite swells up into a large bump. The first time he got stung on his face was in 2004, he was only 18 months old. We were on a little hike in the mountains, when Sterling wandered off and stepped on an underground wasp nest. He got stung right between the eyes.
Then, in 2006 when we went to the mountains for a day, he got stung by a mosquito. This time right above his eye. This caused his tissue around his eye to swell up so much, that we took him to the doctor. The doctor made me think he had some kind of infection, and that he could go blind if we didn't go to the emergency room. All they gave him was benadryl! I was so mad. $700 later, I decided that if it ever happened again, I would start by giving him Benadryl myself. Then, if the swelling wouldn't go down, or got worse, I would take him to the doctor.
2 days ago I noticed Sterling's eye was a little bit swollen. Upon further investigation, I found he indeed had a mosquito bite. Again, right above his eye, on the eye lid. I started a strict Benadryl program, every 4-6 hours, especially before bed. Yesterday it was the worst, but today it's practically gone. I guess I've learned a thing or two since I first became a mother.
This allergy must have come from me. As a kid, when I lived in Holland, I got stung by mosquitoes literally thousands of times. It was never a problem. The minute I moved to the US, every bite swells up like a wasp sting. You can even see the poison that is deposited under the skin. I must have passed this allergy on to Sterling.. I don't know how American mosquitoes are different than Dutch mosquitoes, but when I went back to visit Holland, I didn't have the same adverse reaction.
Then, in 2006 when we went to the mountains for a day, he got stung by a mosquito. This time right above his eye. This caused his tissue around his eye to swell up so much, that we took him to the doctor. The doctor made me think he had some kind of infection, and that he could go blind if we didn't go to the emergency room. All they gave him was benadryl! I was so mad. $700 later, I decided that if it ever happened again, I would start by giving him Benadryl myself. Then, if the swelling wouldn't go down, or got worse, I would take him to the doctor.
2 days ago I noticed Sterling's eye was a little bit swollen. Upon further investigation, I found he indeed had a mosquito bite. Again, right above his eye, on the eye lid. I started a strict Benadryl program, every 4-6 hours, especially before bed. Yesterday it was the worst, but today it's practically gone. I guess I've learned a thing or two since I first became a mother.
This allergy must have come from me. As a kid, when I lived in Holland, I got stung by mosquitoes literally thousands of times. It was never a problem. The minute I moved to the US, every bite swells up like a wasp sting. You can even see the poison that is deposited under the skin. I must have passed this allergy on to Sterling.. I don't know how American mosquitoes are different than Dutch mosquitoes, but when I went back to visit Holland, I didn't have the same adverse reaction.
1 comment:
Poor, poor Sterling. And you too of course. It's a good thing you now know what to do, but it must still be very uncomfortable to begin with.
By the way, when I read this I suddenly remembered the time when I went and visited your mom in Woudenberg I think it was. We were both pregnant. Your mom with you and I with Sietse and Lennart. Your poor brother Carlo made me feel so sorry for him. He had mosquito bites all over and I called him "mr. muggebult".
auntie B.
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