If a bite itches, a child will scratch it, and that can cause an infection.

The word “summer” conjures up cheerful images of vacations, pool parties, backyard barbeques and camping trips.

But summer also means crawling (and flying) critters like ticks, spiders, mosquitoes, flies and bees.

As families head outside for the summer, one INTEGRIS expert is arming parents with information about banishing the bugs. Marianne Ingels, M.D., is an Emergency physician at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City – and one of the state’s few toxicologists.

“Prevention is the key with insect bites,” says Ingels. “Very few insect bites can put kids’ lives at risk.”

To increase your chances of surviving the summer insect-bite free, Ingels recommends ridding home property of standing water, wearing protective and light-colored clothing, applying insect repellent and avoiding outdoor activity at dusk.

Ingels also says that parents can take steps at home to relieve the pain and itching of insect bites and possibly avoid infection. She recommends applying ice packs or topical anesthetics, as well as over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion.

“Parents focus so much on things like West Nile virus that they forget about more common problems,” Ingels says. “If a bite itches, a child will scratch it, and that can cause an infection.”

So what’s the best repellent? Ingels says only one works all the time – DEET (usually called “N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide” on product labels). It’s recommended parents use products with no more than 30 percent DEET on children two months of age and older.

Finally, Dr. Ingels provides these easy steps for safely removing a tick: Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, and then pull the tick straight out until its mouth lets go. Don’t twist or “unscrew” a tick.

Wash the area of the tick bite, and apply an antibiotic ointment.

If after an insect bite or sting your child has a severe allergic reaction, develops a large skin reaction, or shows signs of a skin infection or systemic illness, Ingels recommends seeing a health professional.

More information about insect bites, stings and ticks can be found at INTEGRISOK.com.

INTEGRIS Health 3300 N.W. Expressway, Oklahoma City, OK 73112 (405) 949-3011 | HealthLine: (888) 951-2277