Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Never have flea invested child round again

104 replies

Bloodyhellgirls · 10/02/2020 10:49

Had a child round for a playdate who brought with her fleas. I saw one on her. Now our house is being sprayed and I'm worried about the chemicals and my baby. I'm so annoyed. Am I being reasonable to never have him over again, I kind of feel sorry for the child

OP posts:
LGY1 · 10/02/2020 13:11

I used to be a Facilities Manager in a school.
Regular reports of “flea infestation - with added drama” from teachers
We would then get Rentokill in. He told me he actually just sprays water around. Pet fleas can’t live on humans and die in around 3 days.
The “magic water” always seemed to do the job, I never got second reports of these INFESTATIONS!!
I think you have been massively over dramatic getting your whole house sprayed. Wasn’t necessary at all.

idontlike789 · 10/02/2020 13:14

This a joke right ?

Iwantacookie · 10/02/2020 13:19

I once found a flea on me while in the supermarket after work.
No idea where it came from but it must of either come from my house in the morning or one of my clients houses.
I didnt think fleas would stay on a person that long but it must of been on me for a good 20 mins.
Unless they were in my car Confused

katkit · 10/02/2020 13:21

One flea does not mean you must spray the whole house. Just vacuum a bit more than normal for a bit.

pickletickled · 10/02/2020 14:03

YABU Op, massively so!
While fleas aren't pleasant, seeing one does not = infestation.
As others have said - pet fleas do not live on humans.
I have carried one from my grass into my house on my shoe, I saw the little shit jump as I bent to take them off. I've no clue where it toddled off to. I hoovered throughout thoroughly so no harm done.
We sometimes get them at work, we think they're coming in with the stores order but can't be sure. They look like pet fleas but maybe aren't. Have you had any deliveries lately OP? are you certain it was a pet flea?

crosstalk · 10/02/2020 14:28

Can we move on to headlice now?

rattusrattus20 · 10/02/2020 14:44

I now know a lot about fleas, having had cats for the last 15-20 years.

As others have said, they can't live 'on' a human for any amount of time - they'll live on your pets & sometimes for a short while on pet bedding/on sofas/carpets/etc where pets often sit or sleep.

FWIW Fleas & headlice are almost impossible to confuse - although roughly the same size, fleas are much more visible, on account of being a darker colour, & mobile.

Lordfrontpaw · 10/02/2020 14:46

Just waiting for the other side thread popping up 'My child went on a playdate and got eaten by fleas'

mumwon · 10/02/2020 14:49

@crosstalk use a simple metal nit comb put conditioner in dc (or your - 'because the dc are generous) hair comb through - than rinse - when plague is bad do it daily for 2 weeks & than when ever you wash hair after that
signs scalp itches unbearably, when you comb through you will find eggs & mini insects with legs & (sorry) white egg casings pay especially attention to back of head scalp & on top of ears - have piece of tissue & plastic bag for bodies -you will need to check & clean comb on each sweep of area look on google to see what the little b... do onto google to see what they look like (goes away scratching head) you can also use a range of chemicals (boots) at first to kill them & than reuse the nit chemical again after about a week

mumwon · 10/02/2020 14:52

(was a childminder was several years before one dc gave them to all of us - I put new permission slip in to all parents getting permission to comb after that) starts scratching again...

Viciousrooster · 10/02/2020 15:09

Children shouldn't invest in fleas. Lousy returns.

Limbicsystem · 10/02/2020 15:29

my mums cat is a very fluffy maine coon who gets special flea tablets from the vets but still picks up fleas from her neighbours cats and they tend to start to die and hop to the nearest human before they die. that's how we always know if next doors cat has been in our garden with Cookie. the vet said fleas don't live on humans so its nothing to worry about so i doubt this child actually has fleas at all.

RitaHayworthHair · 10/02/2020 15:32

@Viciousrooster

Actually, I've heard the returns are quite good. Leaping and jumping off the charts.

iklboo · 10/02/2020 15:37

No need to ban the child. Just sheep dip herm (that's her & him since we can't decide) before they cross the threshold.

gamerchick · 10/02/2020 15:43

No, fleas don’t travel around on humans

I used to think the same thing until I saw it for myself. A flea sitting on my trouser leg Coming home with me from work, that customers had brought in.

All these sneery posts saying it isn't possible Hmm when it ruddy is. Fleas travel in people's clothes. Bags of donated clothes from a flea infested house can infest your house quite quickly.

But then there are people out there who think headlice can only be caught from head to head. Takes all sorts Grin

gamerchick · 10/02/2020 15:44

the vet said fleas don't live on humans

They don't, they don't live on animals either.

Highonpotandused · 10/02/2020 15:44

You don’t have to invite anyone into your home, you don’t need a reason (exceptions apply e.g. whole class parties, group play dates etc)

Willow2017 · 10/02/2020 15:49

Scottish schools are off
Not round here they arent.

Op 1 flea does not an infestation make!

iheartislesofwight · 10/02/2020 15:51

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

EugenesAxe · 10/02/2020 15:52

@TheMustressMhor 😆😆

There does always seem to be a bit of a link between dodgy posts and equally dodgy education.

Another 😆 at ‘lousy returns’.

mumwon · 10/02/2020 16:29

(mind about the single flea they don't tend to be chaste bachelors or spinsters so - 1 can become …..)

LittleMissTeacup · 11/02/2020 00:02

I dread to think what type of fleas we had in our house. The dog has always been treated with those tablets to prevent fleas and we moved into a deceased estate with most things in situ as a renovation project. We got a flea infestation and they were not interested in the dog - just us!
Anyway after a traumatic time involving much chemicals and swearing, we think we are free of them but oddly, we never managed to take them to work (I did shake everything out each day) so i suspect even the fleas that loved eating us, didn’t want to travel far.
However, maybe you’ve done the right thing spraying as I suspect your house was the source rather than a child who came visiting and trust me, you don’t want to be known like we are as “them from the house with fleas”!

IlluminatiParty · 11/02/2020 00:11

I saw a flea jump off a guy at work onto the table and it seemed likely he'd hitched a lift in. If they can lurk in a carpet ready to boing they can lurk in clothing for a bit given the right conditions.

ProclivitiesMcManus · 11/02/2020 00:12

Either delusional, or fictitious! If it's the former then: OP your house has fleas, deal with it and don't blame children.

SewItGoes · 11/02/2020 01:37

I don't think it's impossible for fleas to hitch a ride on a human for a short period of time. In any case, OP, if you'd rather not risk having the child bring more fleas over, by all means, don't invite him/her to your house again.