Well, my husband and I took our son to the doctor yesterday and thank goodness we did because the bites were infected with staph, so he is taking oral antibiotics and steroids to help with the itching. The swelling is already starting to go down, so we are keeping a close eye on him to make sure they don't get worse. Thank you for all of your suggestions! - Kaeley B
Staph is on the rise more children are picking up this infections.
Treatments for Chigger Bites before the become ingfected
While nail polish isn't a good treatment for chigger bites, anything that can help control the itching can be helpful, including:
take a bath or shower as soon as possible after any possible exposure to chiggers
apply your favorite OTC anti-itch medication, such as hydrocortisone, Calamine lotion, Sarna, oatmeal baths, etc.
oral Benadryl
a prescription strength steroid cream
Although chiggers in North America don't usually carry any diseases, the bites themselves can get infected.
Avoiding Chigger Bites
Since not going outside and being active is not good advice and unlike poison ivy, it is hard to spot and avoid chiggers, it is important to learn other ways to avoid chiggers and chigger bites. This can include avoiding wearing clothing that put you at risk for chigger bites, such as sandals without socks, sleeveless shirts, and shorts. Instead, wear long pants made of tightly woven fabric, long sleeved shirts, and high top boots or shoes. As an added defense, it can help to tuck your pant legs into your shoes or boots.
Insect repellents are another good way to help you avoid chiggers. In addition to applying it on your exposed skin, it can help to apply your insect repellent around your ankles, wrists, neck, and waist, which is where the chiggers often gain access to the rest of your body through your shoes, shirt, pants, and shoes.
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