Drop in dcb and bugs!

[daycarediva]

Dcb came in today. I got a drs note from dcm- BED BUG BITES. I just stared at the note. Dcm is nonchalantly telling me it MUST be from dcd's house as dcb doesn't get bites at her house. Honestly, if dcd has bed bugs, and dcb is bringing his backpack back and forth--- you have them too dcm! She went to put his blanket in his cubby and I grabbed it out and looked it over- it has dark brown spots on it (and from my internet research, this is bed bug feces). I grab his backpack, unzip it and THERE IS A LIVE BEDBUG IN THE SEAM! I was SO GROSSED OUT I termed on the spot. Dh tore apart everyone elses things as he overheard the conversation and immediately came into the room to start looking, no sign of bugs anywhere else. Dcb's cubby is directly next to the other kids. They are open top but the bedding doesn't touch.

Dh removed the area rugs from my daycare room to inspect and steam clean them, and he is going through all of the bedrooms (all of our kids bedrooms are adjacent to my daycare space).

He also called a pest control company to come out and inspect the house. The guy was NOT AT ALL helpful in alleviating our fears- he said they would leave the cubby and enter any crack or crevice to hide and they can live for a YEAR without eating. *scratching like crazy*

None of the other kids have bites- I do not, dh does not. Dd has a few on her hand that she believes she got from her vet tech program (she has been giving flea baths and grooming dogs from shelters soo....)

Dcparents know something is up- dcm posted on my facebook page that I over reacted and am unprofessional to turn her child away and to leave them high and dry with no notice whatsoever. I left the post up and commented that I considered my reaction appropriate for the situation and that I was protecting the health and well being of all children in care, and my family.

Dcb was supposed to take a ft space available in a couple of weeks. If the inspector finds them anywhere in the house, we have to prep items, close immediately, vacate the premises and he has to do a heat treatment that will cost over $1,000. I am SURE I will lose other clients- and possibly my good reputation as well.

I gave my registrar a heads up- she said not to say anything to other parents until we get news from the pest control company. She is also contacting CPS about dcb- it's been ongoing all summer and dcm is aware now and is taking no steps to stop it.

Kinda freaking out right now!

[Blackcat31]

Dcb came in today. I got a drs note from dcm- BED BUG BITES. I just stared at the note. Dcm is nonchalantly telling me it MUST be from dcd's house as dcb doesn't get bites at her house. Honestly, if dcd has bed bugs, and dcb is bringing his backpack back and forth--- you have them too dcm! She went to put his blanket in his cubby and I grabbed it out and looked it over- it has dark brown spots on it (and from my internet research, this is bed bug feces). I grab his backpack, unzip it and THERE IS A LIVE BEDBUG IN THE SEAM! I was SO GROSSED OUT I termed on the spot. Dh tore apart everyone elses things as he overheard the conversation and immediately came into the room to start looking, no sign of bugs anywhere else. Dcb's cubby is directly next to the other kids. They are open top but the bedding doesn't touch.

Dh removed the area rugs from my daycare room to inspect and steam clean them, and he is going through all of the bedrooms (all of our kids bedrooms are adjacent to my daycare space).

He also called a pest control company to come out and inspect the house. The guy was NOT AT ALL helpful in alleviating our fears- he said they would leave the cubby and enter any crack or crevice to hide and they can live for a YEAR without eating. *scratching like crazy*

None of the other kids have bites- I do not, dh does not. Dd has a few on her hand that she believes she got from her vet tech program (she has been giving flea baths and grooming dogs from shelters soo....)

Dcparents know something is up- dcm posted on my facebook page that I over reacted and am unprofessional to turn her child away and to leave them high and dry with no notice whatsoever. I left the post up and commented that I considered my reaction appropriate for the situation and that I was protecting the health and well being of all children in care, and my family.

Dcb was supposed to take a ft space available in a couple of weeks. If the inspector finds them anywhere in the house, we have to prep items, close immediately, vacate the premises and he has to do a heat treatment that will cost over $1,000. I am SURE I will lose other clients- and possibly my good reputation as well.

I gave my registrar a heads up- she said not to say anything to other parents until we get news from the pest control company. She is also contacting CPS about dcb- it's been ongoing all summer and dcm is aware now and is taking no steps to stop it.

Kinda freaking out right now!

:hug: :hug:

I would have done the exact.same.thing.

I don't know what DCM expected you to do differently...

[BabyMonkeys]

My husband has been in pest control for almost 20 years. He said take anything fabric that is in the cubbies, even if it wasn't touching, and put it in the dryer on high and leave it there for at least 20 min. Then, take alcohol and thoroughly spray the inside of the cubbies, (and any other hard surface that the bag may have come in contact with) making sure to really soak any cracks. That will kill any bugs that are alive that it physically comes in contact with.

Bed bugs are horrible!

[Ariana]

Oh no!! This is terrible but you did what you had to do. I am really hoping you are in the clear and you are ahead of this potential problem. He was there with you on Friday though right? or sometime last week? I would definitely try and clean anything that is fabric.

[BabyMonkeys]

He also said to ask the inspector to show you exactly what it is that he finds that leads him to believe bed bugs. It is a very expensive treatment, and they are not able to ever tell you with 100% certainty that you do not have bed bugs. It is in their best interest to sell you the 1k treatment.

[Josiegirl]

She thought you over reacted?? No way! The others will be glad you took the steps you did!
I hopehopeHOPE they don't become a problem for you. Knowingly bringing bedbugs into your daycare....not cool at all.

[Play Care]

Oh no!! Hope they didn't get in to your home

[daycarediva]

He was here Wednesday and Friday. When I saw the bites, I googled it, and bed bugs or fleas are what came up. The bites are in lines, and dcb obviously has a bad reaction to them. I googled the daylights out of bed bugs last week. I was able to recognize it immediately. It was right in a crease where everything I read online said it would be. I did just wash the daycare kids bedding- blankets and pillows on the allergen cycle (very high heat-I do it every Friday night- thank GOD for being meticulous). I will repeat that when they wake up today.

Dh has steam cleaned (with a commercial grade steam cleaning machine he uses for work) every hard and soft surface in my daycare room and down the hallways. We put everything not nailed down into the dryer on high heat, and we cleaned the cubbies in the dishwasher on sanitize.

I will ask the pest control guy for 'proof'. Dh will be here and wants to see what he finds. He did tell us to buy diatomaceous earth, but I have some on hand, I have used it before in the garden for slugs (safe to consume, around kids and pets, etc).

We already have mattress covers and pillowcase covers on all the kids stuff (good quality ones, due to indoor allergies and pets). Dh washed all of their sheets and comforters and pillowcases on hot and dried them on hot. He also went through their bedrooms with a flashlight and moved mattresses, beds, headboards, etc. He found nothing. Fingers (toes and everything imaginable crossed!)

Angel- thanks for the tips! Dh is putting alcohol in a spray bottle now! My giant (7ft tall, 7ft wide) cubby shelf is wooden, and that's what his cubby was on. I'm going to spray the hell out of it tonight.

I am SO GROSSED OUT. I haven't been able to stop scratching all dang day. I feel TERRIBLE for dcb. According to the pest control guy, for him to have THAT many bites- they have to have a terrible infestation.

[SilverSabre25]

Worst. Fear. Ever.

I would have done the exact same thing... yikes.

[ColorfulSunburst]

Because of bed bugs I provide all bad clothes and don't allow parent bring here any backpacks. I'm really afraid to get bed bugs here

[Baby Beluga]

Worst. Fear. Ever.

I would have done the exact same thing... yikes.

Yes! I am terrified of this too.

OP, I really hope you were able to head this off before it become a problem for you.

[Unregistered]

Dcparents know something is up- dcm posted on my facebook page that I over reacted and am unprofessional to turn her child away and to leave them high and dry with no notice whatsoever. I left the post up and commented that I considered my reaction appropriate for the situation and that I was protecting the health and well being of all children in care, and my family.

How RUDE of her! They are BEDBUGS lady! Gross!!!!!!!

[BabyMonkeys]

He was here Wednesday and Friday. When I saw the bites, I googled it, and bed bugs or fleas are what came up. The bites are in lines, and dcb obviously has a bad reaction to them. I googled the daylights out of bed bugs last week. I was able to recognize it immediately. It was right in a crease where everything I read online said it would be. I did just wash the daycare kids bedding- blankets and pillows on the allergen cycle (very high heat-I do it every Friday night- thank GOD for being meticulous). I will repeat that when they wake up today.

Dh has steam cleaned (with a commercial grade steam cleaning machine he uses for work) every hard and soft surface in my daycare room and down the hallways. We put everything not nailed down into the dryer on high heat, and we cleaned the cubbies in the dishwasher on sanitize.

I will ask the pest control guy for 'proof'. Dh will be here and wants to see what he finds. He did tell us to buy diatomaceous earth, but I have some on hand, I have used it before in the garden for slugs (safe to consume, around kids and pets, etc).

We already have mattress covers and pillowcase covers on all the kids stuff (good quality ones, due to indoor allergies and pets). Dh washed all of their sheets and comforters and pillowcases on hot and dried them on hot. He also went through their bedrooms with a flashlight and moved mattresses, beds, headboards, etc. He found nothing. Fingers (toes and everything imaginable crossed!)

Angel- thanks for the tips! Dh is putting alcohol in a spray bottle now! My giant (7ft tall, 7ft wide) cubby shelf is wooden, and that's what his cubby was on. I'm going to spray the hell out of it tonight.

I am SO GROSSED OUT. I haven't been able to stop scratching all dang day. I feel TERRIBLE for dcb. According to the pest control guy, for him to have THAT many bites- they have to have a terrible infestation.

Victor actually strongly advises against the diatomaceous earth. He says that with the quantity that you would have to put down in order to make any impact, it would be a hazard because of the probability that you would end up inhaling it. You aren't by chance in Florida are you?

He said that if it were us, he would take a bunch of bottles of alcohol and go and spray everything and watch to see if anything comes out. The alcohol will evaporate. If there are bugs in there, they will come out, and you will be able to see them.

He said to make sure that you turn your sofas and any other furniture over and check the bottoms of those too. Under the sofa cushions as well. In most cases, alcohol will not stain fabric, but your should probably test a place that isn't visible to make sure.

If you have any other questions feel free to message me.

[Unregistered]

Victor actually strongly advises against the diatomaceous earth. He says that with the quantity that you would have to put down in order to make any impact, it would be a hazard because of the probability that you would end up inhaling it. You aren't by chance in Florida are you?

He said that if it were us, he would take a bunch of bottles of alcohol and go and spray everything and watch to see if anything comes out. The alcohol will evaporate. If there are bugs in there, they will come out, and you will be able to see them.

He said to make sure that you turn your sofas and any other furniture over and check the bottoms of those too. Under the sofa cushions as well. In most cases, alcohol will not stain fabric, but your should probably test a place that isn't visible to make sure.

If you have any other questions feel free to message me.

I've used rubbing alcohol to treat lots of things we thought might have poison oak oil on them. Never ruined any clothes or fabric.

[Thriftylady]

That is horrible. I would have termed also. As far as her posting, I hope she is done, but you did what you have to do. Any of us could be driven out of business over this, not to mention the time, work and expense to fix it. If I was a DCP and you didn't term, I would find other care because if they get in your house and my child is there, they would then come to my house and on and on. So you did the right thing for sure. For now if anyone asks I would tell them you are not allowed by licensing to disclose anything yet but if and when you are you will give them more info.

I didn't know about the alcohol, I think I will buy some extra and a spray bottle to have on hand!