Parents can help their children avoid insect stings by educating them about the potential dangers associated with insect venom. In addition, parents and children should observe the following rules:

• A child that is stung by an insect should immediately alert an adult.
  
  
• Children should avoid wearing bright-colored or flowered-print clothing during seasons when insects are present.
  
  
• Insist that children wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants when playing outdoors during insect season.
  
  
• Children should avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing when spending time outside. Insects can become trapped between loose clothing and the skin.
  
  
• Avoid the use of scented soap, perfumes, shampoos or other material that may make a child smell like a flower.
  
  
• Children should not walk or play outside barefoot. Sandals and other open-toe shoes should also be avoided.
  
  
• Children should be aware of the kinds of places that insects may live and frequent. Bees and wasps are found in flowers, shrubs, picnic areas, garbage cans and on beaches.
  
  
• Children should know not to disturb sites that might host hives, such as large trees, stumps, logs and large rocks.
  
  
• Tell children to stay away from locations that contain hives and nests. When a hive or nest is discovered, it should be removed by professionals.
  
  
• Teach children not to flail or slap at insects and to refrain from other behavior that might trigger aggression in the insect. Children should be taught to stay calm and walk away slowly when they encounter a potentially stinging insect.
  
  
• Teach children not to drink from cans or straws unless they can see inside them. Yellow jackets often hide in these places.
  
  
• Teach children that if they are stung, they should immediately leave the area where the sting took place. Insects such as honey bees emit an alarm pheromone when they sting, which alerts other bees to the need to attack.

Parents can also reduce their child’s risk of being stung by an insect by keeping food covered when eating outdoors, storing garbage outside in containers with tight-fitting lids and keeping car windows up when driving.

While insect repellents such as DEET have virtually no effect on stinging insects, they can be very effective in repelling biting insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, chiggers and biting flies.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children use products with DEET concentrations of 10 percent or less. DEET should not be used on children younger than 2. If using a repellent other than DEET, make sure it is safe for children. The following precautions should be observed when using repellent on children:

• Apply repellent in a well-ventilated area.
  
  
• Do not apply repellent on cuts or open wounds.
  
  
• Do not apply near the nose, mouth or eyes.
  
  
• Keep repellent off a child’s hands, as children often wipe their noses or mouths with their hands.
  
  
• Wash children’s skin with soap and water after they come back inside.
  
  
• Keep children out of the sun for extended periods, as DEET can make sunscreens less effective.
  
  
• DEET is not water soluble and will last up to eight hours.