Oklahoma City, OK -- The outdoor recreation season for Oklahoma is in full swing now, and so is the increased exposure to insect bites and stings.

“Warm weather hazards are abundant because people are more active and more involved in outdoor activities than any other time of the year. Bee stings, spider bites and contact with ticks are more prevalent during the spring and summer months,” said Shannon Holcombe, education coordinator for the Oklahoma Poison Control Center.

Bug bites and stings are usually just an annoyance. Minor and temporary discomfort may follow the bite or sting, but seldom do they cause serious or long-term health problems. However, though rare, infections and severe or even fatal allergic reactions can occur.

Parents should know the signs of an infection or allergic reaction and when to get medical attention. Inform all caregivers if a child has an allergic history so they know what to do in the event of a bug bite or sting. Get medical help right away if you notice any of the following signs, which may indicate a serious or potentially life-threatening allergic reaction:
• wheezing or difficulty breathing
• tightness in throat or chest
• swelling of the lips, tongue or face
• dizziness or fainting
• nausea or vomiting

If bitten by a tick, the Oklahoma Poison Control Center recommends contacting your family doctor if any of the following symptoms develop within seven to 10 days after being bitten:
• fever
• chills
• severe headache
• deep muscle and/or abdominal pain
• fatigue
• any rash – particularly those beginning on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands

Though all spiders can bite, only two species of spiders found in Oklahoma are dangerous to humans — the black widow and the brown recluse (fiddleback). The black widow spider has a shiny black body and an orange hourglass shape on its underbelly. Within 30 minutes to a few hours of receiving a black widow bite, painful cramps may occur in the muscles around the bite. A board-like hardness of the stomach or back is common, along with nausea and/or vomiting, chills, fever and muscle aches. If you or your child have any of these symptoms — or you know that he or she has been bitten — go to the emergency room right away.

The brown recluse spider has a small shape like a violin on its back. Symptoms of swelling, changes in skin color and blistering are common with the bite of a brown recluse, as well as joint pain, rash and flu-like symptoms. Most cases can be treated at home with basic first-aid; however, with severe symptoms, medical attention should be sought right away.

For more information on bites and stings, visit the Oklahoma Poison Control Center Web site at www.oklahomapoison.org. To contact the poison center, call (800) 222-1222. Oklahoma City residents may call (405) 271-5454.

The Oklahoma Poison Control Center operates 24 hours a day, every day. Highly trained pharmacists and nursing staff provide free, confidential poison information and treatment advice to Oklahoma residents and health care professionals. The poison center is a program of the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy at the OU Health Sciences Center.