 |
| The game is cute - the reality is quite different |
Cute, huh? When I saw this at the store recently, I had to buy
it. Even as the title made me cringe (I'll explain below), the game
looked as if it would be a lot of fun. Bed Bugs is a motorized game
in which you take plastic tweezers and try to capture the “bugs”
which are jumping all over the bed. It's a simple concept which
would be great for kids with developing motor skills also
reinforces math skills. Although the box states that it's for kids
ages 4 and up, you might want to think twice if you've got really
little ones around the house, because the bugs are tiny. The game
sells for $10 on Amazon.com and I saw it on Wal-Mart.com for about
$23.
While the game is cute, the reality of bed bugs is far
different, as I can tell you from personal experience. Several years
back, unbeknownst to us, my late father-in-law had them in his
apartment. I remember sleeping in his spare bed one night and feeling itchy,
as if a hoard of mosquitoes had attacked me. I looked on the sheets
and between the mattress, but saw nothing.
We, of course, brought them home and the itching got much worse. I
looked
everywhere – between the mattress, in our clothes, in our
luggage – and never did see them. I thought my reaction was due to
allergies or the new laundry detergent we were using. A decade later, my husband told me that shortly after we'd gotten back from his Dad's and while I was going crazy trying to find the source of my itching,
he had found the bugs stationed on the
side of our mattress. I had seen them, too, but thought they were
just dirt since they looked like brown and gray specks. He'd
vacuumed the entire room and thrown the vacuum bag out. He'd decided
not to tell me because he knew I'd flip out (good call, Dear).
We were lucky because a bed bug infestation can cause thousands
of dollar to eradicate. Most of the statistics I found on the
number of reported bed bug cases were quoted by extermination
companies which, of course, have a vested interest in their
eradication, but municipalities across the United States and world
wide agree that bed bugs infestations are on the rise: in some
cases, dramatically! No, they do not spread disease, but once you've
been affected by these critters, you will be traumatized. So what
can you do?
Well, obviously, try not to bring infested materials into your
house. That can mean furniture from relatives and friends as well as
second-hand items you get off Craiglist. If you do bring materials
into the house, even new ones because more and more warehouses
are becoming infested, examine tight spaces along seams, buttons, and
under cushions. Click here for a fact sheet from the Ohio Department
of Health:
http://www.odh.ohio.gov/~/media/ODH/ASSETS/Files/dis/vector%20borne/bedbugs.ashx.
What you really need to be concerned about is exposure when you travel.
Some years back, were were vacationing in Massachusetts and about to
department for a night in a hotel in Hartford, Connecticut. That
morning, the Boy and I looked up our hotel on Trip Advisor and were
horrified to read one review that said our destination had bed bugs!
We dodged that bullet, but ever since, I've made it a priority to
try to “bed bug proof” subsequent trips. Although I am not an
expert, here's what's worked for me:
- Investigate the hotel before you check in. Heck, I even look
it up before I make the reservation! My favorite sources for this
data are BedBugRegistry.com (http://bedbugregistry.com)
and Raveable.com (http://www.raveable.com),
but TripAdvisor.com (http://www.tripadvisor.com)
often lists this info as well. Be aware, however, that just because
a hotel is flagged as once having bed bugs, does not mean they still
have them. And one that has not been flagged may, in fact, have
them. These critters are fluid, moving with people and their
belongings. Their presence is not an indication of how clean or
dirty an establishment is.
- Minimize the amount of stuff you pack – You know how your
kids always want to take more toys and clothes than they'll ever
need? This is the time to say “no.” The less stuff you bring,
the fewer items you'll need to worry about later on
- Try to pack your items in resealable plastic – There are
many manufacturers of resealable bags that are large enough to pack
clothes in. Place your clothes, etc., in those and then place the
bags inside your luggage.
- ALWAYS inspect your hotel room BEFORE you move in - When you
enter the room, put your luggage in the bathroom where bugs are less
likely to hide, take a flashlight (download the Tesla light from
the Google Play Store if you have an Android) and check the
perimeter of the bed, between the mattress, around the headboard,
etc. Also check chair cushions, drapes, etc. Here's a nice article
and checklist with more details on how to conduct a hotel
inspection: http://www.badbedbugs.com/bedbug-checklist.
When you return home, place all travel materials in a
separate space, like the garage. Wash and dry all clothes worn on
the trip. If possible, place the luggage in the dryer, which
you've set on high, for about 20 minutes. Many stuffed animals
which cannot be washed can usually also be put in the dryer for 20
minutes. Leave shoes outside until you've had a chance to inspect
them. Yes, this is colossal pain, but preventing a problem and the
peace of mind is worth it!
“Bed bug proofing” products are becoming more common and easier to find. Various en casements for mattresses are available at Costco, Amazon,
and department stores. You can also buy heaters that you can use to
treat non-washable items in case you don't have a dryer or access to
one. Although there are a lot of sprays readily available, I haven't
seen any convincing evidence that they do much good and , besides,
who needs toxins in your environment, especially if you've got kids
around? For a list of products that might help keep you safe from
bedbugs, click on this article I found on the website
brickunderground.com
(
http://www.brickunderground.com/blog/2011/03/top_10_bed_bug_products_in_nyc).
For more information, visit:
Being paranoid about bed bugs is unhealthy, but being aware of how
they travel and what they look like is, I think, prudent. Take steps
now to prevent an infestation so that the only bed bugs in your home
are the ones in a kids' game!
–
My next blog post will be far more pleasant and less icky – I
PROMISE! Thanks for reading!
