When Kids Come Home From School With Bed Bugs

You might think, based on the heading of this article that we're going to be talking about your kids picking up bed bugs at elementary, middle, or high school.

Though this is becoming more and more possible every year, it is not actually the direction we're going to go today. The more real and present threat is college-age kids returning home for the holidays.

You might be thinking, "My kids don't have bugs!" If you are, we get it.

Bed bugs come with quite a stigma. But the truth is, bed bugs don't infest filthy people alone. These bugs aren't drawn to filth. They are looking for a blood meal. That is why they can be found in the cleanest homes.

How can my kid get bed bugs?

Dormitories are at significant risk for bed bugs because these pests are hitchhikers. Since kids are coming and going from dormitories all year long and sometimes travel to other countries where bed bugs are less controlled, these pests can be a problem for a college campus, and ultimately, a problem for you.

Here are some tips to make sure those bugs don't sneak their way into your home:

⭐ Bed bug eggs do not need the mother to hatch.

For this reason, a bed bug infestation can begin with a single batch of eggs left in the clothing. Make sure to wash and dry all of your kid's clothing at the hottest temperature as soon as they come home. This kills bed bugs at all stages of development.

⭐ Bed bugs hide.

Be sure to check the seams of all your kid’s luggage to be sure that no bugs and no eggs are present.

⭐ Bed bugs leave bites.

If your kids have been dealing with bed bugs in their dorm room, your warning sign could be on their skin. Look for bites that appear in a row or cluster. These bites will look like mosquito bites and often have a rash around them.

⭐ Bed bugs leave other signs.

If your kids are bringing bedding home with them, look to see if their sheets have any dried bloodstains. Bed bugs dribble after they eat. These spots could clue you into a threat.

⭐ Bed bugs hide in a wide variety of things.

They don't just hide in boxes, bags, and luggage. They can be inside things like alarm clocks, laptop computers, and monitors. A quick search for black streaks can help you determine if an item has bed bugs in it. These bugs leave their excrement in trails as they travel in and out of a place they are infesting.

If a bed bug infestation takes root in your home, or if you'd like to know for sure that your home is free of these blood-eating bugs, give us a call.

Here At American Pest, we have bed bug-sniffing dogs that can quickly scan your home for bed bugs without disturbing any of your belongings.

These highly trained dogs with their superior sniffers can smell living bed bugs even before they hatch from their eggshells. When you need bed bug protection, you can count on us to give you the most effective and thorough protection available.