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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:

2bazookas · 26/02/2023 23:07

I don't think its either bedbugs or fleas (I've been bitten by both). If those are pus heads on top I'd take her to GP

Original poster

Feelingittchy · 26/02/2023 23:10

No, sorry, I should've said she gas antihistamine cream on

OP posts:

IronCandle · 26/02/2023 23:41

Looks like scabies.

StrawHatOnTheParcelShelf · 26/02/2023 23:53

Another thing about flea bites is that they are wildly itchy and for days if not weeks. I suspect she would be barely able to sit still with so many in those locations, and trying to rip at them constantly.

Viviennemary · 26/02/2023 23:57

Doesn't look like flea bites to me. Especially on the back like that. Bed bugs not sure. But could be some other skin complaint so visit to GP I think.

WhenImTwitchingCurtains · 26/02/2023 23:59

It's not shingles as that only affects one side of your body. It looks like bed bugs to me.

Shesinthegym · 27/02/2023 00:04

Yep it’s bed bugs

SimplySipping · 27/02/2023 00:05

You can't reliably distinguish flea bites from bed bug bites, from mozzie bites, from a picture. The inky spots on her mattress do sound like bed bugs though.

I think maybe GP to get scabies ruled out, especially if some look like they have tracks (those ones along her spine maybe?). Even taking into account she's only little, they look really nasty.

Check with a pharmacist but I think antihistamine tablets are more effective than the cream.

masterofmydomain · 27/02/2023 00:28

My daughters bed bug bites were that big. The size of the bite, and whether you get a mark at all, depends on your own body's reaction. Not everyone reacts, I don't. Some people react mildly, some people have big red spots that itch like crazy.

However, with my DD they were only ever on non clothed areas like wrists, ankles and face (she wore pjs in bed).

Original poster

Feelingittchy · 27/02/2023 06:56

To those of you whove had bed bugs, was it a pest control job?

OP posts:

Zebratan · 27/02/2023 07:08

Your poor dd, that looks sore. My ds had similar, lines of 3 bites which I'd also read was bedbugs, the GP thought so too. I never found any though despite spending hours crawling around with a torch and magnifying glass, lol. The council wouldn't come out as they need evidence so I binned up everything in his room, boil washed everything, chucked the bed, ripped up the carpets, steamed the whole room and covered it in diatomaceous earth. Possibly a little ott but I was freaked out. Never had any issues since. I would see a GP though.

BunnyFree · 27/02/2023 07:15

Bed bug bites can look like this esp if your DD has reacted to them. We have had them twice 😬- they started biting 3 weeks or more after the offending suitcase came into the home. We had to get pest control fumigators who did 2-3 rounds and then we were clear. Be careful they don't spread around the house so don't carry the bedding around unless in a plastic bag. I never saw the bugs in the mattress - they move quickly and lived in the wooden frame. But you can see the black spots which are blood and their poop. And we only had a few but they caused havoc so act quickly.

Now we only have hard case luggage! There is a reason why airline employees have those bags.

Remmy123 · 27/02/2023 07:30

This is a pic from google and exactly same as my bed big bires

i think your daughters are fleas

Fleas or bed bugs? Please help! Pic attached.

Whiskers4 · 27/02/2023 08:22

When we've had fleas in house, they mostly bite my ankles, lower legs.

If it's scabies, you'll probably find them in the crease of the pelvic bone/thigh at front and around waist.

Do the spots have blisters? If so, I'd also be thinking chicken pox or shingles.

I'd try and go down the route of a telephone appointment with GP. They'll probably ask you to send a photo.

Don't know about pest control, but I'd certainly have everything out of the room, put on a high wash, hoover a couple of times, dust and air. Can DD sleep anywhere else for a couple of nights?

LuckyDipForTheEuro · 27/02/2023 08:27

I reckon bedbugs. Dp got them from a hotel and they were random like that all over his body.

Fleas tend to get me on the ankles only when we've had them.

I'd ditch the mattress at the very least and treat the frame and carpets.

If it was shingles the spots would be excruciatingly painful not just itchy.

Original poster

Feelingittchy · 27/02/2023 09:09

These are the spots I found inside her mattress cover - they look inky. No sightings of any bugs so far.

OP posts:

lovemelongtime · 27/02/2023 09:39

Go to the pharmacy. At least they should know what they are.

Viviennemary · 27/02/2023 10:23

I googled it. Those black dots do look like as if it could be bedbugs although I didn't think so before. I think uou need to act soon.,Either pharmacy or GP. Then pest control if it is bed bugs.

Miriam101 · 27/02/2023 22:22

What you need to do is go in to your DD's room in the dark with a torch and shine it suddenly under the mattress. If you have bedbugs you will probably see them. (I speak from bitter experience!)

Miriam101 · 27/02/2023 22:25

Oh and if you do see any, be really careful about ditching the mattress as advised above. At the moment you hopefully only have them in one location in the house. What you don't want is to move them anywhere else and moving a mattress could easily do that.

Mumuser124 · 27/02/2023 22:30

A steamer will get rid of them, but you’ll need to do everywhere a couple of times just to make sure.

NoEffingWay · 27/02/2023 22:49

I read somewhere to look around all furniture and behind mirrors and picture frames as well for bedbugs, using a torch and at night. They are attracted to the c02 in our breath so may need some human bait too (sorry!)

Shesinthegym · 28/02/2023 11:48

Op it’s awful for you if it’s bed bugs but it’s really common. I work in peoples homes so I’m in regular contact with such things. It’s solvable. I have never had them myself but lots of colleagues have.

If it makes you feel any better when I was a poor student I took a second hand mattress off a family friend. I was lying there one night (after having it for a month or so) and felt something run under my leg but it felt under the shell of the mattress. Turns out I’d be sleeping on top of a lovely nest of mice for a month ! Perfect! Needless to say i got rid. Had to get pest control in as the had babies and got in the house. Worst thing is if had my baby dd sleeping on the mattress too. I did notice a few holes in the underside when I took it but thought it was wear and tear.

StillMedusa · 01/03/2023 23:33

If they are bed bugs... it's a mammoth task.
They were just in our bedroom (confirmed by the exterminator chap we booked via the local council)
BUT... the whole house had to be treated, All soft furnishings removed and boiled, all clothes , cushions etc. All the wardrobes pulled away (emptied) all bookshelves emptied everything moved away from walls so all cracks in the floorboards could be treated.. it was like moving house . We binned the bedroom carpet, bed, mattress, bedding, wardrobes.. bought all new duvets. Slept on camp beds for a month while we hit up Ikea! Cost a fortune in using the extra large machine at the launderette as well as our own.

It was very stressful!!

Afterwards we put down diatomacious earth everywhere as a preventative (it also kills bedbugs but slowly)..in the cracks of the floorboards before we laid new flooring. Brilliant stuff and safe as long as you don't inhale it as you put it down.

It was not a good experience!!

mastertomsmum · 01/03/2023 23:38

Looks more like dermatitis, not dissimilar to my suffering if I added fabric conditioner

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