Fire Ant Bites on Kids: What to Do After
A tent by the lake, a slow afternoon at the campsite, and one small bottle that lives in the camping bin.
The short answer: Move your child away from the mound, get every ant off, wash the spot with soap and water and hold a cold compress on it. Leave the small white bumps that show up the next day alone. For the itch that follows, Bye-Bye Bug Bite soothes itchy bug bites, ant bites included, and kids can pump it on themselves.
Why Bye-Bye Bug Bite Is the One in the Camping Bin
Fire ant stings hurt for a few minutes. The itch is what sticks around, and it shows up at bedtime, in the sleeping bag and on the drive home. Here's why parents keep Dr. Nice's Bye-Bye Bug Bite in the camping bin:
- It soothes itchy bug bites, ant bites included. The cooling hydrogel calms itch and redness on contact. It's made for everyday bites and minor stings from mosquitoes, chiggers and ants.
- It takes the sting out. It goes on cool, which is exactly what a hot, itchy ankle wants after a day at the campsite.
- Kids can put it on themselves. The small airless pump is easy for little hands, so the kid with the bites can handle it while you zip up the tent.
- One pump is enough. A pearl-sized amount, spread in a thin layer over the spot.
- It dries clear in about 30 seconds. It leaves a clear, breathable barrier that helps keep the spot protected from scratching.
- Made without steroids, antihistamines or hydrocortisone. It's a water-based hydrogel with a minuscule amount of peppermint oil, which gives it a light peppermint scent.
- Five clean ingredients. Water, poloxamer, gluconolactone, sodium benzoate and that bit of peppermint oil. Vegan, made in the USA in an FDA-registered facility.
- The fridge trick. Chill it for about 10 minutes and it turns into a thin, extra-cool liquid that thickens back up as it warms on the skin.
- No mess on clothes. It goes on clear, it's non-greasy and it doesn't stain.
- Pharmacist-formulated. It was formulated by pharmacist Dr. Frank J. Nice, RPh, DPA, CPHP. Doctor recommended, and pediatrician recommended, too.
- Fits a pocket. One 30 mL bottle rides in the camping bin, the day pack, the first-aid kit or the diaper bag. $19.99.
- It's for after the bite. Bye-Bye Bug Bite is not an insect repellent. It's what you reach for once the ants have already made their point.
One Wrong Step at the Campsite
Fall is camping season in the South. A tent by the lake, a picnic table under the pines, and a little brother who wanders off to inspect the grass at the edge of the site. Then one sandal lands on a soft patch of dirt, and the yelp carries across the campground.
That soft patch was probably a fire ant mound. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that when a mound is disturbed, hundreds of fire ants stream out and attack. Each ant grabs the skin with its jaws and stings more than once, so a single ant can leave a little half-circle of spots.
Fire ants like the same places kids do. UF/IFAS Extension says the red imported fire ant is more common in well-manicured landscapes, and Nemours KidsHealth lists lawns, parks, playgrounds and fields among the places they nest. Think of the mowed grass around a campsite or a picnic area by the lake, and the backyard and the park closer to home. In Florida's sandy soil, UF/IFAS adds, the mounds may not be very big, which is part of why they're so easy to step on. Fall doesn't send them away, either: UF/IFAS says the workers forage when the air is between 70 and 90 degrees, which describes plenty of October afternoons.
What it looks like, hour by hour
The AAP lays out what to expect. A sharp, hot pain that usually fades in about 10 minutes. A hive-like bump within 30 minutes that looks like a red spot with a raised white center. Then, within 24 hours, small bumps filled with yellow fluid at nearly every sting. The AAP says those little bumps are almost a signature of fire ants.
After that comes the part that lasts. The AAP calls itching the main symptom, and it can go on for about a week. That's the stretch where a cool pump of gel earns its spot in the first-aid kit.
Fire Ant Bites on Kids: What to Do After
The steps below come from the AAP's guidance on fire ant stings and from Nemours KidsHealth. Sources are listed at the end.
1. Step away and get the ants off
Move your child off the mound first, then brush every ant off skin, socks and shoes with your hand or a towel. A fire ant holds on with its jaws while it stings, so the sooner they're off, the better. Check inside socks and shoes before anyone sits back down.
2. Wash with soap and water
Nemours KidsHealth suggests washing the area with soap and water. At the campsite or the park, a water bottle and a clean towel work until you can do a proper wash.
3. Cool it down
Next, KidsHealth suggests a cold compress, like ice wrapped in a clean towel. If the camp cooler has ice, wrap a few cubes in a towel and hold it on the spot for a few minutes.
4. Leave the white bumps alone
By the next day, small white bumps will likely sit on top of the stings. The AAP's advice is clear: don't open them, and try not to scratch them. Left alone, the AAP says, they will most likely dry up in about 4 days. It also notes that a sting turning red with a small bump on it is normal.
5. One pump of Bye-Bye Bug Bite for the itch
Once the skin is clean and dry, pump a pearl-sized amount of Bye-Bye Bug Bite onto a finger and spread a thin layer over the itchy area. It dries clear in about 30 seconds. If it dries white, that was too much: rinse, dry and use less. Use it on intact skin only. If a bump has opened, leave that spot alone and check the list further down.
Let them do it themselves. For the very first use, have an adult prime the pump: a brand-new airless pump can take 10 to 20 pumps the first time, and after that one pump is plenty.
6. Plan for a week of itch
Because the itch can last about a week, keep the bottle where the scratching happens. Another pump after the bath and one at bedtime. Keep a second bottle in the fridge door, and it goes on extra cool.
Keeping the Next Camping Trip Ant-Free
The AAP is blunt about this one: to avoid fire ant stings, stay away from their mounds. A few habits make that easier at the campsite and on the trail, and back home in the yard and at the park.
- Scan the ground first. Look before you pitch the tent, spread the picnic blanket or set down the day pack. In sandy soil, UF/IFAS notes, mounds can be small and easy to miss.
- Teach the mound. The AAP suggests teaching children to recognize mounds and keep their distance. KidsHealth puts it in kid terms: never poke at one or try to play with it.
- Shoes on, socks up. KidsHealth recommends keeping shoes on where there could be mounds, and the AAP says fire ants can't bite through socks. Sneakers and socks beat sandals around the campsite.
- Bug spray won't help here. According to the AAP, insect repellents, including those with DEET, don't stop fire ant stings. Bye-Bye Bug Bite isn't a repellent either. It's for after.
- Pack it once. Bye-Bye Bug Bite, a towel and a water bottle go in the camping bin or the day pack, and a second bottle waits in the fridge door at home.
Mosquitoes are part of fall in the South too. Our post on Florida mosquitoes in October covers why they stick around, and for more on outdoor bites see keeping your child comfortable outdoors and bug bite hacks every parent should know.
When to Call 911 or Your Pediatrician
Bye-Bye Bug Bite is for everyday bites and minor stings on intact skin. Most fire ant stings stay a local, itchy nuisance, but some need a professional right away. Based on guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Call 911 now if your child has:
- Wheezing or trouble breathing
- Hoarseness, a cough, or tightness in the throat or chest
- Trouble swallowing, or drooling
- Slurred speech, or acts or talks confused
- Passed out, or is too weak to stand
- Had a severe reaction to fire ant stings before and was stung within the last 2 hours
Go to the ER now for hives or swelling all over the body.
Call your pediatrician right away if:
- The sting is inside the mouth or on the eye
- Your child has stomach pain or is vomiting
- A small child got a lot of stings (the AAP's line: more than 5 stings for every 10 pounds of body weight, or 20 or more for a baby under 1 year)
- There's a fever along with redness that's spreading
- Your child looks or acts very sick
Call within a day if:
- The swelling is huge (about 4 inches) or spreads across the wrist or ankle
- The redness keeps getting larger after 48 hours, or lasts more than 3 days
- A bump drains pus or gets bigger
- You're not sure, for any reason
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best thing to put on fire ant bites on a kid?
Dr. Nice's Bye-Bye Bug Bite. Once the spot is washed and dry, one pump of this cooling hydrogel soothes itchy bug bites, ant bites included, and dries clear in about 30 seconds. Kids can pump it on themselves, so the one with the bites can handle it while you zip up the tent.
How do I keep my kid from scratching ant bites?
Dr. Nice's Bye-Bye Bug Bite helps. It goes on cool, soothes the itch and dries into a clear, breathable barrier that helps keep the spot protected from scratching. Another pump after the bath and one at bedtime, and keep a second bottle in the fridge door so it goes on extra cool.
What's gentle enough to put on a toddler's bug bites?
Dr. Nice's Bye-Bye Bug Bite. It's made without steroids, antihistamines or hydrocortisone: a water-based hydrogel with five clean ingredients and a minuscule amount of peppermint oil. It soothes itchy bug bites and is gentle enough for toddlers and up.
What should I pack for bug bites when we go camping?
Dr. Nice's Bye-Bye Bug Bite, a towel and a water bottle for washing, and ice from the cooler for a cold compress. Keep the bottle in the camping bin or day pack, and a second one in the fridge door at home.
What do I do right after my child steps on a fire ant mound?
Move your child away from the mound, then brush every ant off skin, socks and shoes. Wash the spot with soap and water, and hold ice wrapped in a clean towel on it for a few minutes. Once the skin is dry, one pump of Bye-Bye Bug Bite for the itch.
How long do fire ant bites itch?
Usually about a week. The American Academy of Pediatrics says the sharp pain lasts 5 to 10 minutes, then itching becomes the main symptom and can last a week. Bye-Bye Bug Bite soothes itchy bug bites, ant bites included, and you can reapply it as needed.
Should I pop the white bumps from fire ant bites?
No. The American Academy of Pediatrics says not to open them and to try not to scratch them. Left alone, they will most likely dry up in about 4 days. If a bump has opened, don't put gel on that spot.
What does a fire ant bite look like?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a hive-like bump appears within 30 minutes: a red spot with a raised white center. Within 24 hours, most stings form small bumps filled with yellow fluid, which are very itchy.
Does bug spray keep fire ants away?
No. The American Academy of Pediatrics says insect repellents, including those with DEET, don't stop fire ant stings. Staying away from mounds, and keeping shoes and socks on where there could be mounds, is what works. Bye-Bye Bug Bite isn't a repellent either. It's for after.
When should I take my child to the doctor for fire ant bites?
Call 911 for wheezing or trouble breathing, tightness in the throat or chest, trouble swallowing, or if your child passes out or is too weak to stand. Go to the ER for hives or swelling all over the body. Call your pediatrician if a sting is in the mouth or on the eye, a small child got a lot of stings, there's a fever with spreading redness, or a bump drains pus or keeps getting bigger.
Keep It in the Camping Bin and the Fridge Door
Parents: fall weekends in the South mean campsites, trails and picnics by the lake, and the fire ants know those spots as well as your kids do. Scan the ground, keep shoes on, and put a bottle of Bye-Bye Bug Bite in the camping bin or day pack, with a second one in the fridge door at home. When one wrong step happens anyway, it soothes itchy bug bites, dries clear in about 30 seconds, and your kid can put it on without a fight.
Whether they're exploring the trail behind the tent or just the grass by the back porch, reach for Dr. Nice's.
Dr. Nice's products are cosmetics for external use on intact skin. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. For an open wound, an ulcer, an infection, or a condition that isn't improving, see your healthcare provider.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org), "Fire Ant Sting" (Barton Schmitt MD, FAAP): healthychildren.org
- Nemours KidsHealth, "Hey! A Fire Ant Stung Me!" (medically reviewed by Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD): kidshealth.org
- UF/IFAS Extension Gardening Solutions (University of Florida), "Fire Ants": gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu