Turn an old sock into a "scratch-guard" to cover bug bites while they heal

Leanne has a great tip for helping kids deal with the inevitable summer bug bites:

Toddlers and preschoolers have little self-control when it comes to not scratching mosquito bites. When my 2 year-old got a bad sting recently and almost infected it with his scratching, I hacked up a little device that worked like a charm:

After putting some Benedryl cream on his bite to reduce the itching and swelling, I cut the foot out of an old sock and put the sock over his ankle like a leg warmer. This simple barrier kept him from scratching and kept the sore out of sight and out of mind. I bet this would work well for arms and upper legs or calves, too.

We've found good uses for cut up socks before -- as stinky car seat strap covers, as wrist guards during snowy weather and as snot catchers. This would also be a great use for a pair of BabyLegs.

As for bug bites, another Parenthacker had good luck with insect-repelling bracelets.

Related:
Ben-Gay stops mosquito bites from itching
Homemade, natural insect repellent

Comments

[Beckie Tetrault]

My son has eczema and often has areas that he has scratched raw on his elbows. I made him some covers like that for his raw spots, and he now LOVES to have his arm cozies on. I am sure people think it's a bizarre fashion trend, but we enjoy looking for cute socks to make new cozies out of!

[Willy]

Why can't they just scratch em like I do? They always seem to heal up just fine.

[Jeanne]

That's an awesome idea! I've been using bandaids which work as well, but the sock scratch guards are definitely more affordable since you can reuse them. Thanks for that tip!