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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What are these spots - bed bugs?

51 replies

Okaaaay · 14/08/2022 21:34

Posting shamelessly here for traffic.

My DD started with strange spots on Thursday last week. On her torso, front and back and upper legs. Nothing much (if anything) anywhere else. She had been swimming a lot over the last week and we thought it was a reaction to chlorine initially. However, new ones have appeared here and there since. She has no symptoms, no itching and is fine in herself - they aren’t bothering her in the slightest. I’ve looked through her mattress and there is nothing to see. No blood spotting on her bedding or signs of bed bugs. But what else can it be? Surely if they were mosquito bites (or some other insects) they would itch? We’ve been away recently and my DH works away so it’s totally possible we’ve brought them home.

Does anyone have any proper experience of bed bugs? Could you see clear evidence of bugs on bedding (their poo / blood spots)? Did the bites just appear in high numbers over night or was it gradual? Does this look like the usual pattern on the skin? Completely freaking out.

What are these spots - bed bugs?
What are these spots - bed bugs?
OP posts:
Barleysugar86 · 14/08/2022 21:36

Looks like chicken pox to me?

brawhen · 14/08/2022 21:37

Could it be chicken pox?

PlayerOne · 14/08/2022 21:37

Yeah - chicken pox or some other kind of viral rash?

mattressspring · 14/08/2022 21:37

Chicken pox?

ofwarren · 14/08/2022 21:38

Chicken pox

Barleysugar86 · 14/08/2022 21:38

I should add that my 4 year old son didn't seem to itch at all with his spots, especially at first, when he caught chicken pox so it's not always the itchy rash you might expect.

user1488979639 · 14/08/2022 21:39

Yes, I thought chicken pox too.

Okaaaay · 14/08/2022 21:40

Sorry, I meant to say and in my panic didn’t, she had CP in May so it’s definitely not that (and she was unbelievably itchy)

OP posts:
PeppermintTea2021 · 14/08/2022 21:43

I had bed bugs and yes you can get bitten to fuck like that quite quickly with as you say no other symptoms, so I wouldn't rule it out. Has she slept over or any guests or holidays? Doesn't have to be your house that has them. Both bed bugs and chicken pox would normally be itchy so not sure if that rules them out. Keep an eye on her temp and definitely call 111 at least for some advice x

mattressspring · 14/08/2022 21:44

Okaaaay · 14/08/2022 21:40

Sorry, I meant to say and in my panic didn’t, she had CP in May so it’s definitely not that (and she was unbelievably itchy)

It could still be that.

Throwawaytoday · 14/08/2022 21:45

I've known several chdren to get CP twice... but I agree, lack of itching is confusing.

Could it be a reaction to the heat?

Okaaaay · 14/08/2022 21:46

@PeppermintTea2021 thank you - that’s the thing that is odd re BB - she’s not itched once and has been like this since Thurs. She was wildly itchy with CP.

OP posts:
TheStarsDontShine · 14/08/2022 21:47

You can have CP more than once

5zeds · 14/08/2022 21:48

Looks like chicken pox to me.

Okaaaay · 14/08/2022 21:48

@TheStarsDontShine sure, but surely she would be itchy and they would cover her more than this? Last time she was covered (all over her head / genitals etc). None of that with this.

OP posts:
farley123 · 14/08/2022 21:49

They don't look like bed bug bites - they tend to leave a trail of bites in a slightly zigzag pattern as they walk, feed, walk, feed. They are attracted by the CO2 in breath so mostly bites are seen on upper body.

We had an infestation a few years ago (came through from next door via the shared floor joists!!!) - when I lifted the mattresses I could see them fairly clearly in the crevices of the wooden bed frame and seams of the mattress. They looked like small apple pips.

DinaofCloud9 · 14/08/2022 21:51

Could she have covid? My son had similar spots all over his legs and it turned out to be covid.

Okaaaay · 14/08/2022 21:53

@farley123 thank you - I’ve looked at the top of her mattress, and the protector but will tip everything upside down tomorrow to check. I realise they don’t care how clean your house are but just hitch a ride and then find a new host 😩

OP posts:
confusedlots · 14/08/2022 21:53

I think there are far too many to be bed bugs or another insect. More likely to be a viral illness of some sort. Would do a Covid test

Okaaaay · 14/08/2022 21:54

@DinaofCloud9 oh really? She’s had a runny nose for the last few day. Honestly, I hadn’t even considered that. Not poorly otherwise. Will test.

OP posts:
mindutopia · 14/08/2022 21:56

I’ve had bed bugs when living abroad where they are quite common and they were horrifically itchy. I scratched myself raw, so I wouldn’t necessarily think bed bugs. Also they tend to be clustered, like 10 bites in a row, rather than evenly spread out.

Passedmybedtime · 14/08/2022 21:58

Okaaaay · 14/08/2022 21:48

@TheStarsDontShine sure, but surely she would be itchy and they would cover her more than this? Last time she was covered (all over her head / genitals etc). None of that with this.

All rashes should be taken seriously unless known otherwise, call nhs 24

gah2teenagers · 14/08/2022 21:58

Measles maybe if not CP. Has she had cold symptoms?

mindutopia · 14/08/2022 21:59

You said she was swimming. Was she in a hot tub at all? Could be folliculitis.

Chocolatiestchocolate · 14/08/2022 22:00

My dc had similar. Was told its a viral rash