I've just pulled eight seed-sized bugs off my kids - now traumatised

[babybouncer]

Don't know what they are - look quite like bedbugs, but they don't like to stay on humans. We've just got back from holiday in the US and halfway through that we found lots of bites on DS (3 yrs old) so we were already worried, but I found 2 on DD (6 months).
Are they bedbugs?
Did we bring them back with us?
Do I need to rewash all their clothes? Bedding? Towel?
Can they pass them on at nursery?
Will I ever recover from this?

where were they on your DCs?

From what I've read about bedbugs, they run as soon as light goes on so pretty sure you wouldn't manage to pick them off a person.

Does sound like you've brought something back though sorry :(

Bathe the kids
Get all your clothes on a hot wash
Hoover out all baggage thoroughly and spray with a pesticide

Hope you enjoyed your holiday though

were they attached, could the be ticks?
did you save them?
Sounds horrible

if they were in the DCs hair they might be headlice

Eeek!

They could be bed bugs. We were able to pick them off my grandma whilst she was in hospital.
You can look up pictures online to compare.
They do like to live in the seams of suitcases and mattresses. They come out to feed on people then go back to their
little hiding place.

DMF - they were on arm (on bite), behind ear, in nappy area (top front), in belly button. And DH just found one on his upper arm too. Urgh! I had to pull them off with fingernails - they were in no hurry to leave.

Bedbugs look like apple pips, same size & shape (flat). I had the misfortune to have them when I was sharing a flat a number of years ago. The bites were nasty! We had to get professionals in to spray everywhere, but I don't know if they can be treated yourself. I'm sure someone more knowledgable will be along soon.

Please find out if they are ticks, because ticks in the US very often carry Lyme disease, which must be caught and treated early. Doctors here aren't as used to diagnosing Lyme disease, and it can have many different symptoms and complications.
Don't panic if your children have ticks, because Lyme disease can be diagnosed and treated so long as you are aware of the possibility of infection.

Tick bites tend to look like targets - red and white rings with a definite centre.
Where were you in the us - did you go to any wooded areas?

Sounds like ticks to me too. Definitely get checked out-ticks can carry nasty things esp if they've been on for a while.

ticks look like broad beans
bed bugs like apple pips

Could well be ticks. I think there are lots about this year.

Usually harmless but can carry Lyme Disease. A tick bite will look like a bullseye target as scrappydappydoo says. If any of you show any flu like symptoms in the next 10 days please go to GP and tell them you may have contracted Lyme Disease. It is easily treatable with antibiotics. We lived in Hungary where we were very aware and once while back here in UK on holiday DS wasn't well and had a suspect bite and I took him to GP and said I was worried about Lyme Disease and we were given antibs.

However bed bugs are a def possibility from the US.

Hmm, we've been kicking lots of leaves in woods on holiday...
They look and feel like dark brown sesame seeds, a really rounded body and definitely 6 legs. DD has no bites I can see, DS has loads of bites, but they don't look 'target-like'. Can't tell if they're deer tick nymphs or bed bugs judging from the pics online. Any ideas where I could go to get it identified properly? (I've stuck them to card with Sellotape - turns out only 4 are actually bugs, the rest are either eggs or fluff).

bed bugs have lines across their body, like this, the deer ticks are more smooth like this. there is quite a large difference in the bites as well.

Hope it's not bed bugs!

Fluff!

You could ring county council see if they have a lab that will look at them; else find someone with a microscope to have a better look & then you can identify better using online pictures.
They sound a lot like bedbugs to me, sorry, have to take very seriously to nip infestation in bud.

They could be crabs (sorry). One of my kids had a small bug behind her ear, which had burrowed a bit under the skin. I took her to the hospital and the doctor told me it was a pubic lice. The day before, she had been asleep on a friend's blanket whilst we were at a picnic.

Yes your Environmental Health or Council run pest control department will ID them for you.

Ticks can be a pig to get off, did they come off easily? With ticks need to make sure the head isn't left inside.

Have a look at this site - there are lots of images of different ticks, which might help:

www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/about-ticks/other-tick-images/

If they are ticks, you can buy a special remover to get them off as it is important not to leave any of them behind. I was bitten by one near Swanage and went to the hospital to get it removed. The nurse there was very familiar with them because they get a lot in Dorset. So if you are in a country area, you may well find the medical professionals are very familiar with the problem. Otherwise, the website at the link is helpful.

Hope you get it sorted soon