Your baby spends lots of time either in his or her crib or on the floor. If you get to notice any bumps or strange, tiny bite marks on their then it is likely to be a bite. Pets are fun to be with and are in fact friends to your babies. However the pests that typically accompany them such as fleas makes bonding hard. It is important as a parent that you identify flea bites on your baby early. It is normal to get worried but what you shouldn’t do is to ignore the problem. Ignoring bites can be painful and severe for your baby.
How long will the flea bites on your baby last?
When a flea bites your baby, wheals are likely to form around the bitten area (skin in the immediate area rises). Normally these fade in a few hours. However, within 24 hours an itchy welt could appear and fades within 48-72 hours. Scratching the flea bite at this point won’t make things any better.
The immediate reaction of the baby to flea bite is the whealing which occurs within the first 2-4 hours and is meant to fade quickly without causing much irritation. A delayed reaction, however, could last up to 7 days after the welt must have replaced the wheal. The welts are extremely itchy. They should start fading from the second day but there are cases where they persist in young ones for up to a week and even after fading still leave a pale red mark which could last for another week.
Secondary infections
You should know that rubbing on the flea bites on your babies can retrigger the wheals and even prolong its healing. Also, if lesions appear, do not scratch them. Scratching can break open their tender skin, release fluid and even cause crusting. This could predispose your young one to a secondary infection with usually presents in the form of lesion filled with pus in the form of boils. It could take up to 4 to 6 weeks for infections to heal and even when they do, the skin in that area could still be discoloured for a while longer. Some babies, however, are immune to flea bites. For such babies, they could get away with only a slight reddening of the skin, which usually fades within minutes to few hours.
First aid treatment for flea bites on babies
There are a few things you can do immediately you notice your baby has been bitten.
- Use a strip of cotton wool soaked in baking soda solution and apply pressure to the bite area. This would help reduce pain and inflammation
- Hot or cold compresses could help relieve the pain
- If the baby is in pain and crying, you should apply a soothing lotion such as calamine lotion or aloe vera lotion to help relieve the pain
Essential oils from natural plant products like tea tree oil mixed with carrier oils like coconut oil and sweet almond oil can be applied on the bite site to reduce inflammation as well as prevent potential infection. Always consult a pediatrician before introducing new things to your baby.