Mosquitoes are small biting insects and are cousins of flies and gnats. Surprisingly, only the female mosquitoes feed on human blood that is required for them to produce eggs. During the process of feeding, the female bites the skin, and leaves saliva on it. The saliva is rich in protein which does not allow the blood to clot, also it continues the flow of blood into mosquito's mouth without interruption. This protein in the saliva evokes an immune reaction known as allergic reaction. Mosquito bites can cause many types of reactions. Minor allergies are generally ignored, but sometimes it might take a severe form of allergy that is known as skeeter syndrome. It is a severe reaction which causes red bumps accompanied with itching. People generally have a reaction to the bite, but the symptoms like swelling in quite a large area of bite is a signal of skeeter syndrome. Generally, the symptoms are observed immediately after the bite, whereas, in skeeter syndrome the symptoms appear after few hours, or might be visible after few days. Symptoms The symptoms depend on the amount of bites received, and also keeps changing from time to time. Swelling is the first and the most common symptom. The immediate swelling after bite can be followed by itching all over the affected area. They appear like normal bites, which is why they are not easily noticed. However, the odd thing about this allergy is that, it does not go away very easily. The itching, swelling, and redness might last for a few days. The area of swelling is larger than usual, resulting in blisters on the skin, and hives that might last for weeks. In acute conditions which are very rare, people bitten by mosquito might experience disorders like anaphylaxis affecting many organs and systems of the body, urticaria, and angioedema that causes swelling in the whole body, and in worse cases, the victim might also experience asthma symptoms. Treatment Start the treatment as soon as you realize that you have been bitten. Clean the area with antiseptic soap and warm water. Dry it with a soft and clean piece of cloth. Avoid the strong urge to scratch because that might prolong the effect, though it offers immediate and temporary relief. For treating a mosquito bite, aloe vera gel is a natural remedy which provides a cooling effect to the inflammation. If you don't have aloe, you can get immediate comfort by slowly rubbing ice on that area. For sensitive skin of children, apply a sticky paste made by mixing two parts baking soda and one part water. You can also look for some medicines in your medicine cabinet as well. A topical anesthetic containing pramoxine or calamine lotion can be effective for the bites. Itching can be alleviated by hardly one percent of hydro-cortisone. If these creams do not work, then take any anti-inflammatory ointment to reduce the swelling. But make sure that you consult a doctor before taking any medicine. This bite is very similar to a bee or wasp bite. It too hurts, swells, and itches. Some people go under shock, and some into coma after wasp bite, but it is not the case with mosquito bite. It only happens in some severe allergic reactions caused by the bite. The allergic reactions sometimes decrease along with the age. Small kids and adolescents are more prone to allergies in comparison to adults. This is because, with the increasing age, our body develops immunity against mosquito's saliva. It might not hold true in all the cases though.