A jellyfish sting on a child at the beach. What is the most appropriate initial care?

• A. Apply fresh water
• B. Use hot water for irrigation
• C. Irrigate the injured part with large amounts of seawater
• D. Rub the area with sand

Answer: (C)

The first step in jellyfish sting care is to rinse away the stingers with seawater. Seawater helps flush out venom-containing nematocysts and any attached tentacles without triggering more discharge, which is what freshwater can do and why it’s not recommended. Rubbing the area with sand can irritate the skin and spread venom, making the sting worse. After thorough rinsing, remove visible tentacles with tweezers if possible and seek further care if pain persists or there are signs of a larger reaction. If available, applying warm immersion later can help relieve pain, but the initial action should be irrigation with seawater.