[newmum35]

See my <a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=1230815" target="_blank">post in H&H</a> for more. My son has a swollen red ear from what I think is an insect bite, probably a spider I guess.<br><br>
Im going to take him to dr tomorrow as a precaution. I think they may want to put him on cortisone if they feel its warranted.<br><br>
Anyway tonight Im trying to search insect and spider bites to see what I can find, and come across this page<br><br><a href="http://firstaid.webmd.com/understanding-insect-bites-spider-bites-treatment" target="_blank">http://firstaid.webmd.com/understand...ites-treatment</a><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
<div class="smallfont" style="margin-bottom:2px;">Quote:</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="99%"><tr><td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset;">For any spider bite, be sure your tetanus immunization is current.</td>
</tr></table></div>
Is this for real? Has there EVER been any documented case of tetanus from a spider bite?!?<br><br>
Is this something my (mainstream) ped is going to give me flak for (because he is not current on his booster) - I hope this is not brought up. He woke up with it, so I'm assuming he got the bite inside, and what would a spider be doing with tetanus spores on its body?<br><br>
Please enlighten me, and give me some tips on what to say if they bring this up or want to get him caught up tomorrow. (he actually did have the first 3 DTaP on schedule, but has never had the booster, given at 15-18 months. He is 2 1/2)

 

[milkybean]

I have no idea if it can actually happen (I haven't a single clue how it could), but it's the same line my mom was given when she got a naaaaasty arachnid bite.<br><br><br>
They then promised her they were giving her ONLY tetanus, nothing else, so many promises, so she said OK.<br><br>
2 months later, after having been sicker than she'd ever been in her life to that date, the entire 2 months, she went back to ask for her file.<br><br>
They'd given her the dtap.

 

[Marnica]

Personally I wouldn't think twice about it.<br><br>
I wouldn't go to a doctor either, unless the bite continued to be red and swollen and looked infected several days later.<br><br>
I live in the woods. we get spider bites alot. They get red, they swell. This is a normal reaction. It will most likely go away on it's own. People react differently to spider bites. I swell up, it lasts a while up to a week. They itch and hurt. My DH barely notices them and DS is somewhere in the middle.<br><br>
If a bite was not improving or getting worse after 1 week, I may consider a trip to a doctor, but certainly not after 2 days. Steroids are for severe allergic reactions. What you describes doesn't seem all that out of the ordinary IMO, but of course you need to do what you feel is right for you. As for tetanus, I wouldn't think twice about it and certainly would not allow a vax if suggested by a doc!!!

 

[AFWife]

You can always remind the doctor that IF he did get exposed to tetanus the best thing to do is get the TiG NOT the tetanus vax.

 

[MamaBear21107]

A few weeks ago my daughters ear turned red and swelled up pretty bad (pretty sure it was a spider bite)- she isn't vaxed for tetnus and the doctor knows this, didn't ever mention anything about tetnus, just told us to give her Benydryl and if it got worse the next day or wasn't improving she wrote out a perscription for antibiotics. And shes pretty hardcore into having her patients vax- and she didn't say anything.

 

[blessedwithboys]

i would skip the doc and give apis mellifica. my ds is highly allergic to fire ant venom and we live in FL so he gets bitten ALOT. i have a theory that the lubricating fluid produced by his eyes smells and tastes yummy to them, bc he always seems to get bitten near the eyes. and on more than one occasion when we bedshared, he would get bitten and i wouldnt.<br><br>
anyway, i have so many pics of him with an eye swollen shut and an ear that looked like a pork chop i could fill a whole scrapbook. i just give apis mellifica and let him hold an ice pack to the area and he's fine in a few days.

 

[momsmyjob]

The same thing happened to my dd a few years ago. It's nothing to go to the Dr over, IMO. I'm sure he will be fine <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile">

 

[newmum35]

You're right. This morning it looked much better, light pink but not red. Still swollen some, but not as bad so I was sure that the worst was behind us. We never went to doc. I was a little worried it would get worse, or that they might insist he be on the cortisone or some other drug, I don't trust them much but I'm not familiar with spider bites, I never had an ear swell up myself in my life that I can remember. In retrospect I feel kind of silly but did learn a lot about spider bites (which I am just assuming it was, my best guess).

 

[newmum35]

just an update to ask for suggestion. Its been 5 days now and I thought he was over this a few days ago (ear is back to almost normal) but yesterday & today he has started to rub his head in back of his ear (behind his head). Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions, is it normal for the area to itch 5 days after a bite? I thought someone said they just went through this with their 6 yr old - where was bite? same place? did it itch if so how long? the strange thing is he was not itching before now but that first evening he did rub his ear itself during the time it was swollen. Now he is rubbing back of his head but just started yesterday otherwise acting fine. I haven't taken anymore pics of the ear because other than that first day there is not much to see. IT is improving and looks almost normal.

 

[AFWife]

He might have a slight allergy. I react like that to most insect bites (mosquitoes are the worst) The swelling and extended itching happen to me...