Help, my 3 year old daughter keeps getting bitten, in the house, sometimes at night, sometimes during the day,
by unseen, unknown bugs! They are very red, and incredibly itchy. She is miserable, and as she itches,
the bites become huge lumps and welts, and even sometimes have a red ring around them. She will get 8 to
10 at a time. First, how do I help her itching, and secondly, how do I get rid of any bugs in the house?
What can I use that is a natural product? We are very conscious of chemicals and pesticides and don't
want the effects of those around our daughter either!
Any help would be very much appreciated!
Beth :)
Do you have a pet? It may be flea bites. They usually bite about 3 times in the same area. If you have
carpet, put salt or borax on the floor and around the baseboards. Let it sit (overnight would be great)
then clean it up. Vacuum your sofa and mattresses and chairs. Treat the pets with a good flea bath or
behind the neck medication. Do this again in about 2 weeks as flea eggs will be hatching again. Try
Calamine lotion on your child's bites and cool baths, not warm or hot ones. Good luck! (07/09/2004)
By Caima
My guess would be bed bugs. I've read a couple of recent articles stating that they're making a
comeback. They're about lentil-sized and are reddish-brown. If that's what you have, do a search to
find the best way to get rid of them; I know it involves washing and sterilizing all the bedding, but I
don't remember the particulars or the magazines where I read the article. Good luck. (07/09/2004)
By NHdoubleK
They might be chiggers. Do a search on the internet for chiggers and you will find all kinds of info and
you should be able to tell by the article if that is what she has. (07/09/2004)
By Kathy
My first thought was bed bugs also, and there's a way to get rid of them without chemicals that is safe
for pets and kids, too. Wash all the linens, pillows, and loose rugs in the house. Then close up the
rooms and leave only one window open in each room. Put fresh thyme in the corners of the rooms and on the
furniture. (I actually used dried herbs and it worked fine.) If it's bed bugs, they will be gone by the
end of the day.
I would, however, take her to see a doctor. I rarely take my kids, but my son had something similar
when he was about 7 and it was scabies which requires some serious topical stuff. He apparently got it at
a sleepover.
Chiggers, by the way, will go away by themselves and need to live outdoors so it's unlikely that they
are in the house. (if she's getting bitten at night.)
Whatever it is, she must be encouraged not to scratch. She'll prolong chigger infestation in the skin
(they live in the bumps), spread the scabies, or otherwise infect the bites.
Also have your doctor check for ringworm if there's a red ring forming. (07/09/2004)
By Allison
Put fingernail polish over the chigger bite. The head of a chigger lives under the skin. The nail
polish smothers the chigger. (07/11/2004)
By Ellen
My elderly mother had the same problem. I discovered that a bird had built a nest in her air conditioner
housing and it was blowing bird mites all through the house. They were eating her alive. They were barely
visible. I scrubbed her from head to toe with a prescription dog shampoo for mites and fleas, set off
insect bombs in the house, and removed the bird nest from the air conditioner. I bought a generic itch
lotion that reminded me of aloe vera. If you have a bird in the house, it might be mites. (07/11/2004)
By Marti
Having her soak in a lukewarm bath with Aveeno oatmeal soak will help with the itching (ask at your
pharmacy, no prescription needed, but it's a little pricey). You could also, more cheaply, dissolve
baking soda into a lukewarm bath, that helps soothe itching, too. Believe it or not, making a paste of
meat tenderizer and water, and applying it directly to the bites, can also soothe itching (it's what
lifeguards use for jellyfish stings). (07/15/2004)
By Becki in IN
My mother had a 'unseen' bug problem too, but just at night. Her dh was not getting bitten.
outside and shaking it over white paper. It turns out it was full of tiny red bugs! After cleaning the
bedroom she didn't have another bite.
(08/20/2004)
By Lisa
Here in rural California, in early summer, we get "no-see-ums." They are so tiny you can barely see them
(hence the name). The ones that attack us live in grass or fields, but I think there are different kinds.
Their bites are fierce! I'm fairly tolerant of insect bites and even I will itch like mad for several
days; for my husband and kids, they are really tortured. I've read it can be a serious problem for
livestock because horses and cows will rub themselves raw trying to relieve the itch of these bites. The
no-see-ums we get die out after we have a couple of 100 degree days in a row.
For itch relief, we have had some success with product called "Olbas Oil." It doesn't say anything
about stopping itches, it's a menthol-y inhalant, but the lady at the health food store recommended it
and it seems to help. Also, we accidentally discovered that Tom's Baking Soda Toothpaste seems to help.
(Before we tried the Olbas, I went stumbling in the night for the cortisone cream to put on my daughter,
then in the morning I couldn't find my toothpaste!) also, when really desperate, we have tried benadryl
too. At least it makes them so sleepy they can't scratch holes in themselves. (09/21/2004)
By E
After scratching for two weeks, I finally went to the doctor for little red spots/bites around my ankle.
My doctor believed it was bug bites (I think it was chiggers). She prescribed prednisone and
it started to clear up in 2 days. Don't suffer. Go to your doctor. And the medication is very
inexpensive. I paid around $3.00 for a week's prescription.
If you can't make it to the doctor, fingernail polish seems to work also. Just dab a little bit on and
use the blowdryer at the highest heat you can stand. It will really help to take the itch away.
(10/06/2005)
By Laura
I have the same exact thing. I strongly think they are beg bugs. Don't let your daughter sleep in her bed
tonight. And at like 8 or 9 o clock at night go in her room with a flash light and you would be able to
see them crawling on her bed if they are bed bugs. What you need to do is buy Bug Out. Use the three cans
in her room. Take the sheets and pillow cases, spread, then box spring and the mattress apart. Then leave
the bottles in there for at least two days. Then move her whole room around clean the floor, all the
clothes that were in her room her closet, absolutely "everything" in there. Then put new sheets on her
bed and everything should be OK.
Good luck.
Hope everything works out good (06/25/2006)
By Alicia
I was wondering if it could be spiders? I have had similar episodes and the next day turned the furniture
stand next to the bed upside down. There were fine webs and small, long legged spiders. I have also swept
all the areas under each piece in the room, windows, bookcases, etc. Tea tree oil soothes these bites.
Perhaps you could try spraying a solution of the oil mixed with some water on the bed linens. I know this
keeps insects in motels from being bothersome whenever we have traveled. I know how important it is to
use nontoxic agents. I use nothing, but in our home because my body reacts to others. I would never use
bleach or nail polish directly on the skin. In less than 30 minutes those enter every organ through your
skin. I never knew this information, but actually have seen my health improve by ridding them from use.
That's why transdermal patches are used for quit smoking, nausea, hormone replacement, etc. (09/27/2007)
By Carol Vitu
It may be fleas or bed bugs, fleas will bite all day and bed bugs only at night. The bite itch is very
intense from both, the flea bite will heal quite fast. Bed bug bite marks will stay for months and appear
dark. Remember there are diseases that can be passed through infestation of either,
consult with your doctor. Good luck. (12/09/2007)
By Annmarie
My little girl was also getting bitten by unknown creepies, we knew it wasn't fleas as we have no pets
and checked for bed bugs and couldn't find anything. So we all went to doctor's as we all started
itching, we kept feeling like we were being bitten, but when we looked there was no bug. There just an
itch that turned into a spot all over our bodies, and it turned out to be scabies. I was so shocked, as I
thought you had to be dirty to catch something like that, which is not the case. After being diagnosed
with this, I realized I had been in contact with someone who had scabies and that's probably how we got
it. We had to apply cream all over our bodies and are now itch free. I would have never thought it could
have been that. If your having similar problems go to your doctor. (10/06/2010)
By jayne1972
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To all the above people, for close to 6 months now after a child diagnosed with head lice in school slept in my bed but was cleared so I thought it would be fine. Ever since that happened I was just to the ER and they told me it was in my head I asked the doctor are all these scabs in my head? In my case I seem to only have it on the right leg ankle to knee and in my hair. I am starting to think it is some NEW KIND OF LICE. I had my dogs hair checked under microscope and all they have is dandruff so its not coming from the dogs. These are black dots that are hard. I researched and found the chemicals for bird mites BUT IT IS RAT LICE!!! I went thru tons of money so here goes the cheap way if your not sure about bed bugs Youtube has a video were the man gets for $2 plastic rectangular containers (Idid it) u scotch tape paper towels to the outside of the container then take any soda or water bottle and put a small like tablespoon of water, sugar and ONLY THE FAST RISING YEAST WORKS put two (2) of them in the bottle at night with a small light over or near it (I used xmas lights) what the bugs want is the blood how they find us is what we exhale CARBONE DIOXIDE they know the blood meal is there. Now this process cheap will not only catch bedbugs i got mites and fleas in the container MAKE SURE IT IS SLIPPERY THEY CAN'T CLIMB OUT. I then researched the chemicals that would kill them but do this first so you know what u got. The people getting bit exhale more CARBONE DIOXIDE THAN ONES NOT GETTING BIT that's your reason its logic and if your the only one in the bed well there u go. Once you have done this I can give u some MUST HAVE CHEMICALS: When u buy insecticides make sure these are listed the ones with 99.9% DON'T BUY. These are for mites from birds: Lamba-Cyhalthrin I found it in an ant spray and am still using it. Imiprothrin, Tralomethrin, Esfenvalerate, Bifrenthrin and Beta-Cyfluthrin. They give a list of some other things I found in a store Raid Home Fogger with Cyfluthrin, Hot Shot no Pest strips with Dichlorous. Products DO NOT SAY A THING ABOUT MITES OR LICE another one I did manage to find was Hot Shot Ant & Roach Plus Germ Killer these products worked but get many more than one can I actually sprayed my mattress while I went to sleep. I found something I put on my bed also but its for the floor Hartz UltraGuard Plus Flea and Tick Powder it kills them. Do Not deviate from this I am living it. I found out it was one Rat a black one take clear packing tape and don't use cotton sheets they love the cotton. With the tape go over your bed sheets do it until u got the entire mattress then fold it in 2. If there are tiny red looking dots thats a chicken mite and I live in Pittsburgh the others I was not able to identify just mites now I believe coming from the black rat that was living in my brand new bed. I was on here and it peed on my leg. Further research showed a rats tail if it black can be 18 inches long and its full of lice. They carry RAT MITES SO FOLKS WE GOT A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD I BELIEVE WE ALL DO. If u have a window A/C take it out. Bird mites come thru it. A short story and I go: I put a brand new bag in my brand new vacumn I used it once in my bedroom again nobody else has this but me. I spray the bag with parakeet mite spray before and after watch it the smell can pass u out. Well I just went in the room were I keep the Vacumn I was shocked I haden't used it in about 5 days I was just too sick from the bites. These things multiplied inside the vacumn bag til it actually burst I was shocked. The Diamatacious earth works by drying out the eggs I know since i walked on it a few times no sox it actually took a layer of skin off my foot so just imagine what it will do. The things they say to buy like Onslaught, Delta Dust, Vikane Gas YEA FIND IT U CAN'T. Take all your clothes out of the drawers and off the hangers a rat is smart you can follow it if you put the Diamatacious earth down and leave the room. You will see the white powder on your clothes, on your bed along with pee, everywhere they went. And save your money on trying to trap one with a wooden trap or glue board they are too smart their mama taught them I once used the box for rats 2 in a pack they will go in it to see whats in there but won't eat the poison. By the way write and email your FEDERAL REPS AND THE PRESIDENT, when they did away with the full strength DCON all this crap is now happening OBAMA was responsible. They did it since a vulture or wildlife eat rats and if there is poison like full strenghth DCON in the rat the birdie may die, Well folks what about us dying? or your kids. I am totally alone in life I am 62 but lost my entire huge family of 22 they all died 2 murdered my name Pauline if I helped u at all please pray for me I can find a friend any a woman or man platonic only. I am on FB Pauline Marie and post family I don''t have anymore but pictures are better than blanks. Please do not spend good money on nonesense you will find the ingrediants I listed in all other sprays but miticides they don't make em. Amazon has Onslaught but they can send u water for all u know they did it with a pair of boots saying they were sheep inside yea they were nylon inside I got ripped off and I know others if you can't buy it locally some of the things I have I would send you because I know what its like, do the container thing to see if you have the fleas, mites or bedbugs all will go to it looking for Carbone Dioxide so if nothing else you can eliminate or include it, O on your carpet you will see tiny white balls perfect in size these are some kinda eggs, I believe they hatched in my vacumn bag and it actually blew apart thats how many there were from one vacumning in a 9x10 room. Let me know we are in this together and seriously write your congressman and us senator these are the ones responsible for what we are suffering with today I had 6 months of research involved here and am no dummy so please check it out for yourself but for about $3 do the trick with the containers put them (u get 3) everywhere u think u have a problem and u will see what's in it. Good Luck hope to hear on FB
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