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Original poster

Fleas or bed bugs? Please help! Pic attached.

50 replies

Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 20:33

Nc as this is embarrassing and also horrible for dd

So, she had a few bites on the bottom left of her back on Thursday morning, presumed fleas. We have two cats- for context they are treated monthly for fleas on a subscription service so we never forget. I bought some indorex spray and sprayed everywhere. Thought job done.

Next morning, she wakes up and now has all of the other bites down her spine and across the top.it looks absolutely horrendous, she has 3 on her face too. I still thought fleas because what else?

Now tonight, I googled flea bites straight line because I've never seen them like that before and everything says bed bugs. I can't see any bugs in her bed or under but I'm really worried this is what they are.

We haven't been anywhere overnight recently, we went to centerparcs first week of December but that's probably too long ago to be linked? We have been cinema, soft plays etc.

Also our house is clean and tidy, we've never had anything like this before

OP posts:
Original poster
Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 20:34

Hopefully attaches this time

Fleas or bed bugs? Please help! Pic attached.
OP posts:
Junobug · 26/02/2023 20:36

I think bed bugs are more common than you think and nothing to be ashamed of if it is.
Check your councils website as they often have pest control officers that you pay a nominal fee for treatment.

Hellopello · 26/02/2023 20:40

Has she had chicken pox previously ?

I would see doctor to check her out , just in case it is a virus or shingles

Original poster
Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 20:55

She had chickenpox the week before Christmas - so probably too soon for shingles. Good shout though

OP posts:
ilovebagpuss · 26/02/2023 21:07

Doesn't look like fleas unkess there are tons of them. More likely bed bugs on torso.
Or some other viral related rash? Is she under the weather?

RandyMandyy · 26/02/2023 21:13

Are there any blood spots on her bed sheets? That is a definite indicator of bed bugs.

StillMedusa · 26/02/2023 21:31

They don't look like bedbug bites to me. Way too big!
DH brought bedbugs back home from working away... and it was a while before we realised (and had quite an infestation).

He had tiny itchy bites. (I didn't !) But what gave the came away was tiny blood dots on the pillows and sheets..if it's bedbugs then there will definitely be blood spots from them feeding.

Also lift up the mattress.. if there are any they will be there, in the creases and in the bed frame itself.

PS bedbugs can hitch a ride to your home from ANYWHERE. I wanted to torch the house when we got them, (and DH for being the likely route!)

Original poster
Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 21:44

No haven't seen any fleas or bed bugs. We had a flea infestation when I was a kid, I remember feeling them land on my legs, and there were so many of them, yet I had less bites than dd has now.

I've had a good look at her mattress and there are some inky spots along where the cover zips around which I've ready is their poo. I've never noticed any blood spots but tbh I didn't look either, I was thinking fleas and just to get it washed ASAP.

She has had a bit of a runny nose this week, had an upset tummy about a week ago too.

OP posts:
Original poster
Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 21:45

I think I'll have to give the council a ring and get them to confirm either way. Bleurgh!

OP posts:
cosmicfig · 26/02/2023 21:49

It does look a bit like flea bites to me, although a bit angry looking - she may have been scratching them. We had fleas once it wasn’t nice and my daughter had bites this size from them.

coconut oil helps stop them biting as much.

If it does turn out to be fleas my best advice is to get the council to deal with it. We wasted so much time boiling and steaming everything and using all the sprays it didn’t work and the council got it sorted first time.

I may be wrong but hope whatever it is gets better soon 😊

Remmy123 · 26/02/2023 22:05

I have had bed hugs from euro camp and bites were only over my exposed parts of body and were much smaller.

they are not bed bugs

cocksstrideintheevening · 26/02/2023 22:14

Don't look like either to me, they're too big

kindercup · 26/02/2023 22:16

Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 21:45

I think I'll have to give the council a ring and get them to confirm either way. Bleurgh!

What are you asking the council to confirm?

TherealmrsT · 26/02/2023 22:19

I don't think bedbugs either, we had them and the bites were much smaller and they were round ankles. Also tiny spots on sheets.

We don't know where they came from..either a couple of days away four months earlier or a rogue picked up on public transport.

StrawHatOnTheParcelShelf · 26/02/2023 22:20

Flea outbreaks are generally in summer and flea bites are usually concentrated around the feet and ankles. If it's fleas you'll see 'flea dirt' on the sheets, little black spots of their poo which will turn red if you drop water on it because it's mostly dried blood.

Flea bites are tiny but if you get enough of them and your body reacts they can turn into big hives like the picture. I think that's true of any small bite.

anunlikelyseahorse · 26/02/2023 22:21

Looks like shingles.

StrawHatOnTheParcelShelf · 26/02/2023 22:22

Any new medication OP? My son broke out like this in reaction to an antibiotic.

RahRahOhLaLa · 26/02/2023 22:23

Remmy123 · 26/02/2023 22:05

I have had bed hugs from euro camp and bites were only over my exposed parts of body and were much smaller.

they are not bed bugs

My bed bug bites -they bite in a line- were on my torso which was covered by a T-shirt and I was in a sleeping bag!

Candymay · 26/02/2023 22:23

There’s an old thread on here about bedbugs and there’s a picture of the bites. Sorry to say this but the pic looks very similar to yours.
either way I hope you can get an exterminator in and get rid.

anunlikelyseahorse · 26/02/2023 22:24

Just to add I was 14 when I got shingles, felt fine when the rash first appeared it was a few days later I got the full effect of the virus. Not saying it is shingles, but doesn't look like flea bits or bedbug bits.

Original poster
Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 22:26

Dd is 4, just for scale of the bites. They did look like flea bites to me when I first noticed them. Slight raised, smooth and pinky red colour. They are itchy too. I'm even more confused now with most of you saying bed bug bites are smaller. Hers do look the same as the ones on Google images when I've searched bed bug bites, plus the fact they're in lines mostly also.

I was going to ask the council pest man just to check her bed over. It's the ikea hemnes day bed and we store blankets and bedding in the drawers so an absolute paradise if it is bed bugs.

That's the other strange thing, she's always clothed. She always wears long sleeved and long legged pj's.

OP posts:
Original poster
Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 22:29

I don't think shingles crosses the midline typically, I had it last year and the doctor mentioned that

OP posts:
cosmicfig · 26/02/2023 22:34

My little one was bitten by the fleas even under pyjamas and socks

cosmicfig · 26/02/2023 22:35

But definitely a trip to the doctors to see what they think :)

ChiefWiggumsBoy · 26/02/2023 22:44

Look up some pictures of bed bugs and then look at the bed, I believe round the seams. They are easily visible by the naked eye so that should give you an idea if that's what it is.

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