Mosquitoes

What are mosquitoes?

Taken from Wikipedia mosquitoes are a family of small, midge-like flies. Midges are a group of many kinds of small flies. They are in almost every area of land from deserts to frigid zones. Most mosquitoes are just an annoyance to seniors and all others.  Some species of mosquitoes devour blood from all  living vertebrates. In all of the “bloodsucking” species only the females suck the blood.

Mosquito Bites

Mosquito bites are defined as little bumps that are itchy that appear after being bite by the annoying fly. Female mosquitoes need to feed on blood because they need the nutrition from the blood before they can lay eggs. While the insect is filling itself with blood it injects saliva into your skin. Proteins in the saliva cause the immune system reaction that results in a bump and  itching. According to the Mayo Clinic mosquitoes choose their victims by a process of evaluation. They evaluate exhaled carbon dioxide, a persons scent and the chemicals in a seniors and others sweat. Once in awhile a bite may cause a large skin surface area  of soreness, swelling and red coloured skin. This is known as skeeter syndrome and is most common in children.  Because most seniors and adults have been bitten throughout their lives, children are more likely to have a severe reaction to mosquito bites. Most mosquito bites are harmless and heal on their own. There are remedies to help with the itching. Some of the ways to help ease the itch of the bite is to utilize a calamine lotion. Don’t fret they make calamine lotion now in a clear form so no more embarrassing smears of pink!   Other options include  applying hydrocortisone cream, ice packs or taking an oral antihistamines.

A Loving Hearts Home Care Staff can assist you by contacting your physican if needed if your bites are accompanied by body aches, fever or headache.

Dangers of Mosquitoes

There are dangers of mosquitoes to be aware of seniors and all others. West Nile, Dengue fever,  Yellow fever and Malaria are a few more common diseases carried by these insects. Yellow fever and Malaria are more prominent in tropical areas. West Nile is found throughout the United States and other countries. The Dengue fever is rare although it has been reported before in the southeastern United States. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) Many people who are bitten by an infected mosquito won’t get sick—many others aren’t as lucky. Since 1999, more than 30,000 people in the United States have been reported as getting sick with West Nile virus. Occasionally, an infected person may develop more severe disease such as West Nile encephalitis,” “West Nile meningitis” or “West Nile meningoencephalitis.” Almost 13,000 of the individuals who have been reported as having West Nile virus since 1999 have been seriously ill, and more than 1,200 have died. For more interesting information please refer to http://www.cdc.gov/features/stopmosquitoes/.

Prevention for Seniors

Protect yourself and those you care for! Prevention is key in protection. There are a few steps you can take to try to ward off those pesky buggers.  Wear protective clothing. Lessen the amount of standing water around your home. Utilize insect repellent every few hours. Remember to spray your clothing  as well.What colors should you avoid wearing to attract mosquitos? If you answered dark colors you are on the right track to good prevention.

Hopefully these tips will help you to be able to  better enjoy your summer and keep those pests away.

For other ways  Loving Hearts Home Care can help Seniors  enjoy their summer such as assistance on attending family picnics or other outings call us at 1-877-652-8048

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Loving Hearts Home Care – Erie PA 16506 – 814-836-1147

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