Found a couple of little bugs/insects stuck in my childrens skin. What are they?

[madhairgirl]

Both children have got bites this morning and on closer inspection I found a couple of flatish little bug type things stuck into their skin. They did go for a walk yesterday with DH could it be something from that, or have we bed bugs or something else horrible? I asked DH if he has been bitten, I haven't and I wasn't with them. He doesn't think he has and all he can suggest is that they saw an anthill??

Ticks, maybe? would google to check and also to get advice on removing them.

ticks

They sound like ticks, did they walk in a wood or through long grass? Ticks are flat until they are full of blood! Don't pull them off, if possible twist them off or put meths on them to make them drop off (a tick removing tool from the vet is the best thing for the job).

My kids always seem to get them more than the adults, due to footwear and leg covering differences and the fact that they end up crawling around through undergrowth and bracken whereas I stick to the path.

sounds like ticks.
get some tweezers out, grab them as far by the head as you can and gently pull straight out.
have a look out for a circular rash in the next couple of months, that is a sign of lyme disease and needs to be treated with antibiotics.

Thanks everyone, yes it was a wooded hilly area they went to. I think I am just glad that no one has said bed bugs. Am washing all the bedding at the moment just incase

Yes, sounds like ticks. Best and safest way of removing them is using a tick removal tool- see if your local vet has got one.

And as mouseymouse says, be aware that you can get lyme disease from ticks, so if they are unwell in the next few weeks- rash, temperature, flu-like symptoms- see the GP and make it very clear that they've had tick bites.

Oh and do check both DCs carefully to make sure you haven't missed any.