Can a child go to school with a bed bug infestation?
Do not send a child home from school if they are known or suspected to have a bed bug infestation at home. Missed school days have a negative impact on children and it can take many weeks to control a bed bug infestation.
What to do if a bed bug is found on a child?
If a bed bug is found on a child in school, it does not mean the child brought the bed bug into the school. Bed bugs do not infest people; they only feed on them. Bed bugs can crawl onto or off of a person (or their belongings) at any time. The following actions will be helpful in dealing with any bed bug sightings: Educate everyone.
How can I prevent bed bugs from being transported to school?
Send a letter to the student’s parent or guardian requesting that they take steps to reduce the risk of bed bugs being transported to school. A sample letter for parents is available here (.docx).
What is the life cycle of a bed bug?
The common bed bug is Cimex lectularius. Bed bugs produce 5-7 eggs per week and can lay up to 500 over the course of their life. They grow fastest and lay the most eggs at 80 degrees F. Learn more about the bed bug life cycle. Although bed bugs are not known to transmit disease, their presence may cause distress and health issues for many people.
Should you stay home from school if you have bed bugs?
Steps that can be taken if a student's home is known to have a bed bug infestation: Do not send a child home from school if they are known or suspected to have a bed bug infestation at home. Missed school days have a negative impact on children and it can take many weeks to control a bed bug infestation.
What to do if a child comes to school with bed bugs?
Students and Bed Bugs Discreetly take students to the school nurse for inspection of their clothing and belongings. School health professionals should manage the case, including re-inspecting belongings, desks and classrooms until the problem is resolved.
Can kids spread bed bugs at school?
More commonly, a few bed bugs will hitchhike to school from an infested home by hiding in a student's clothing or backpack. Bed bugs that hitch a ride into the school in one student's backpack could be carried home by another student, making the school a potential hub for bed bug spread.
When can I enter my home after bed bug treatment?
Don't enter your home or treated rooms for at least 4-5 hours after treatment. If you or anyone in your family is sick or has a compromised immune system, talk to your doctor about when it's safe to re-enter your home. Open all your doors and windows once you do re-enter your home to air it out.
How do you prevent bringing bed bugs home from school?
At school, place backpacks and jackets inside large, resealable plastic bags, and don't let them sit on the floor in a closet or in pile with other coats and bags. Upon returning home from school, empty backpacks completely outside the home, if possible, and inspect bags and items inside for bed bugs.
Can you carry bed bugs on your body?
Bed bugs cannot live on your body. They may prefer to live near their host, not on them. Bed bugs gravitate toward people who remain inactive (e.g. sleeping) long enough to provide a blood meal. As per research, they may stay or hide 5-20 feet away to feed blood.
Can bed bugs come from daycare?
Bed bugs can be brought into a daycare center by children or parents. Bed bugs can also make their way into the building if employees have bed bugs at home. Employees, parents and children can bring bed bugs into the daycare center in their clothing or on their bodies.
How transmissible are bed bugs?
Easily Carried but Not Contagious Though they aren't actually contagious, these pesky parasites are easily carried on personal and household items. Waiting until the time is right and hiding where they can, bed bugs travel on clothes and belongings to get as close as possible to people where and when they rest.
How do you keep bed bugs from spreading to other rooms?
How to stop the spread of bed bugsKeep your bedroom clean and clear of clutter where bed bugs can hide, especially clothing.Avoid secondhand furniture. ... Use a protective cover over your mattress and box spring.Vacuum your home regularly.Inspect your sleeping area when you travel.More items...
How long should you stay out of the house after exterminator?
around 2-4 hoursPest control services suggest a certain time to stay away from the home once the work is completed. Once the service is completed, they may usually recommend staying out of your house for a time of around 2-4 hours. However, this may vary based on the type of service, and also extend up to a maximum of 24 hours.
How long does it take to get rid of bed bugs after extermination?
It typically takes anywhere from 2-4 treatment sessions over a period of 3-6 weeks to completely eliminate bed bugs, depending on the level of infestation and the size of the house. However, each situation is unique.
Do I have to wash all clothes bed bugs?
Q: Do I have to wash and dry all the fabrics in my entire house? A: No. Bed bugs tend to hide as close to the bed as possible, so only launder the fabrics in the immediate area – your bedding, and clothing in dressers near the bed. Hanging clothes in closets can usually be left there, but wash anything on the floor.
What to do if you suspect bed bugs in a school?
If bed bugs are suspected in the school, work with a Pest Management Professional (PMP) to inspect and treat the school. Insecticides that are available over the counter are not effective against bed bugs.
How do bed bugs get into a school?
The most common way for bed bugs to enter a school is through “hitchhiking” from an infested site. Usually this will be from a student, staff or teacher’s home which has a bed bug infestation.
How to capture a bed bug without squishing it?
Try to capture a bed bug without squishing it. The bug can be put in a plastic bag or on a piece of clear tape and then given to a professional for identification. Hard surfaces can be cleaned with hot soapy water to reduce the risk of bed bugs in these areas.
What happens if a student gets a bed bug bite?
Depending on the students immune response to bed bug bites and the severity of the infestation there may be a few or many welts on the face, torso and limbs. Bed Bugs tend to bite on skin that is exposed during sleep or rest. The visible marks and itchiness may make the student very uncomfortable.
Why do bed bugs hitchhike?
On the occasion that an infestation starts, it will be because bed bugs have found a site where people rest or sit for a time. A common example of this is with the younger grades, or pre-school, ...
Why do students get anxious when they sleep?
The visible marks and itchiness may make the student very uncomfortable. Students may also display anxiousness and/or sleepiness due to interrupted sleep as a result of bed bugs biting them. Bed bugs are not associated with uncleanliness or socioeconomic status, but this insect has a substantial social stigma.
How to reduce the number of items that a student has to transport between school and home?
In a discreet manner, regularly inspect the student’s desk and or locker for bed bugs. In the younger grades you may want to consider regular use of plastic tote boxes for storage of student belongings.
How long does it take for bed bugs to kill?
Bed bugs can’t survive high temperatures, so the easiest way to kills them (and their eggs) is to place all infested items in a plastic bag in the dryer and blast them with a medium-high heat for around 20 minutes. Dispose of the bag afterward.
How do you know if you have bed bugs?
Bed bugs can also be detected by the presence of bites. These red, itchy lumps can look at lot like other insect bites; however, bed bug bites will often line up in a row or ring, as they may bite several times as they walk along the skin.
Do schools have bed bugs?
However, all schools should have a plan of action in place should a bed bug infestation occur. Generally, schools will notify parents and guardia ns in the event of an outbreak and distribute educational resources among the students to take home . These will inform families of effective bed bug control methods, as well as ways to reduce your risks of infestation.
Can you transfer bed bugs to another kid?
Bed bugs can easily be transferred from one kid’s possessions to another, especially in the close proximity of the school classroom or bus. To make sure your kid doesn’t bring home bed bugs, you must be vigilant about checking their possessions for insects when they come home. Keep bags at the door (and never in the bedroom) and encourage your kids to take precautions like not leaving their possessions in piles with those form other households.
You probably think of bed bugs infesting houses and hotel rooms, but these resilient pests can make a home almost anywhere, including in schools – primarily daycares and colleges. For about 40 years, bed bugs were mostly absent in the United States, but they have been experiencing a resurgence since the late 1990s believed to be in part to an increase in travel
Bed bugs are great hitchhikers, so how can you help keep your kids from bringing them home? Read on to learn more about bed bugs and some important bed bug prevention tips.
What are Bed Bugs?
Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown, oval-shaped insects roughly the size of an apple seed. They are most active at night, and they feed on blood. When they’re inside a home, they can be attracted to sleeping humans by cues such as carbon dioxide and body heat.
Why are Bed Bugs a Concern in Schools?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), bed bugs are one of several pests that are a concern in schools. Luckily, they are not known to carry pathogens that cause disease, and they don’t infest people.
How to Deal With Bed Bugs
Following some simple prevention tips can help you (and your children) avoid bringing bed bugs home.
Call the Professionals
Treating bed bugs is not something you want to do yourself. It can be costly and ineffective, and bed bugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of.
What to do if you suspect bed bugs in a school?
If bed bugs are suspected in the school, work with a Pest Management Professional (PMP) to inspect and treat the school. Insecticides that are available over the counter are not effective against bed bugs.
How do bed bugs get into a school?
The most common way for bed bugs to enter a school is through “hitchhiking” from an infested site. Usually this will be from a student, staff or teacher’s home which has a bed bug infestation. While teachers and staff can be more easily addressed dealing with students or parents can be challenging, especially if the family cannot afford proper control measures or their landlord refuses to properly treat their home.
Why do bed bugs hitchhike?
Actual bed bug infestations in schools are uncommon, more often a few bed bugs will hitchhike from an infested home on a student’s possessions. On the occasion that an infestation starts, it will be because bed bugs have found a site where people rest or sit for a time. A common example of this is with the younger grades, or pre-school, where rest time or nap time still occurs.
How do bed bugs move?
Due to their size and speed, they are excellent hitchhikers and can move from place to place by using items like furniture, mattresses, luggage, clothing, and backpacks. Once they are in a home, you can oftentimes find them in the corner of a mattress waiting for their host to go to sleep so they can feed every five to ten days. Bed bug bites can come in many shapes and sizes, all the way from non-existent to large red welts. Because bed bug bites are often mistaken for a different pest bite and their sheer size, bed bugs are often overlooked until they are in full force and have fully infested a home.
Can bugs cause stress?
Although they are not known to carry any diseases, they can cause both physical and mental harm and stress. Having several tiny bugs crawl on you in the middle of the night will drive anyone into a sleepless zombie. This fatigue can then start influencing your daily activities.
Can students get bed bugs?
Students are not the only ones that are subjected to bed bugs in school. Teachers, staff members, and administration are all as equally likely to get bed bugs from school. The only difference is that staff should be trained in how to properly deal with a situation in which they encounter bed bugs at school. Some schools may already have a plan in place, please contact your administrator for details.
