Fun in the sun throughout the summer also means keeping an eye out for those dangerous mosquitoes. These tiny bloodsuckers have the potential to spread deadly illnesses like Dengue and Malaria. There are a few things you may do if you get bitten by a mosquito. In this blog, you will learn how to manage mosquito bites.Â
What Are the Diseases Caused By Mosquitoes?
Mosquitos like to live near people and usually stay in tall grasses and they breed in stagnant water. They gather in clogged rain gutters, ponds, and containers that hold water, especially after rain showers. When mosquitoes bite you, it usually leaves an itchy lump behind. They can also spread diseases between animals and humans, as well as from one person to another.
They can carry diseases such as Dengue and Malaria. This disease is passed on to humans from the mosquito’s salivary glands into their human host’s bloodstream. In Australia, malaria is not a major health problem, but other mosquito-borne diseases such as Ross River Virus and Murray Valley Encephalitis are of increasing concern.
What Do Mosquito Bites Feel Like?
You might feel a stinging sensation when a mosquito bites your skin. After that, the most annoying symptom of a mosquito bite is itchiness. Usually, mosquito bite reactions to the skin are quite mild and self heals within a few days. They can be more dangerous for children and people with impaired immune systems. In rare cases, mosquito bites cause a severe allergic reaction.
Why Are Mosquito Bites Itchy?
Did you know that male mosquitos don’t bite humans, but females do? Female mosquitoes need to eat blood in order to reproduce. Our blood serves as protein for their eggs. Female mosquitos have long, tubular mouthparts that allow them to pierce your skin and feed on your blood.
When they bite you, they inject saliva into the body while sucking your blood. Their saliva contains proteins that most people are allergic to. Your immune system comes into action, causing the telltale red bump and accompanying itch of a mosquito bite to form.
Mosquitoes choose their human victims based on the scent of carbon dioxide and other chemicals in their perspiration.
How Should You Treat Mosquito Bites?
To treat mosquito bites, wash them with soap and warm water. You can also use over-the-counter pain relievers, antihistamines, or topical anti-itch medications to control pain and itching. Applying an ice pack to your skin can also provide relief from itching. If you have a child with itchy mosquito bites, make sure they keep their fingernails short and remind them not to scratch.
Can you Suck the Poison of a Mosquito Bite?
The answer to this is a no. Once the mosquito bit you, their saliva is already injected while sucking your blood.
How To Prevent Mosquito Bites?
According to Cleaveland Clinic, the best way to avoid a mosquito bite infection (aside from not scratching) is to avoid the bite. To keep those pesky mosquitoes at bay, take these precautions.
- Cover up with clothing. Bare skin is preferred by mosquitoes. The more covered you are, the less area they have to target.
- Use insect repellent. Look for products that contain the active ingredients DEET or picaridin, which provide the best protection. Make sure to use any repellent as instructed.
- Go inside at peak biting hours. Most mosquitoes fly at dusk, especially in wooded areas near water. Activity is lower during the sunnier, hotter times of day.
- Eliminate mosquito breeding areas. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. That could mean a puddle that never dries up in your lawn or flowerpots and garbage can lids where water accumulates and sits.
CPR First Aid Australia’s Available Courses
Aside from learning how to prevent and manage mosquito bites, CPR First Aid Australia is offering a variety of first aid courses according to your needs. You can choose your preferred courses below:
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HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation - HLTAID010 Provide an emergency first aid response Â
- HLTAID011 Provide first aid –Â formerly known as Level 2 or Senior First Aid.Â
- HLTAID012 Provide first aid in an education and care setting
- HLTAID014 Provide advanced first aid
- 22578VIC Course in First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis
- 22556VIC Course in the Management of Asthma Risks and Emergencies in the Workplace
Do You Need General First Aid Qualification?
We recommend that the 
HLTAID011 Provide first aid.
- This also includes CPR qualification. The Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) recommends that this qualification is updated every 3 years.
Do You Need To Update CPR Qualification?
We recommend HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Â
- The Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) recommends that this qualification is updated annually.
Do You Need First Aid Qualification To Work In The Childcare and Education Industry, that Includes Anaphylaxis and Asthma Training?
We recommend HLTAID012 Provide first aid in an education and care setting.
Are You Working With Children?
You will also be required to obtain first aid training qualifications in Asthma and Anaphylaxis. You need to check with the employer before enrolling, so that client gets the correct training for his or her circumstance.
ABOUT CPR FIRST AID
RTO No. 21903: CPR First Aid was founded in 2007. We specialise in providing first aid training in CPR, asthma and anaphylaxis for a range of workplaces including childcare, schools and other industries in NSW, VIC, SA, WA and QLD. We are a Registered Training Organisation with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (No 21903). Our courses and Units are VET-accredited for workplaces in Australia
Conclusion
Although you can’t completely avoid mosquito bites, you can reduce your risk of getting bitten.
Mosquitos breed in water, so try to avoid having standing water near your home. Empty anything that holds stagnant water. It’s also important to keep the grass and vegetation near your home well-trimmed. Install screens in your windows to keep mosquitos out. And when you’re outside in wooded or grassy areas, wear long sleeves and pants and use insect repellent. Once the Once mosquito bit you, its saliva is already injected while sucking your blood. All you can do is manage the itchiness caused by the mosquito and prevent complications.
