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by Emily Taylor
Identify What Types Of Pests Are Troubling Your Children
“The first day one is a guest, the second a burden, and the third a pest.” It is only humans that the French philosopher Jean-de-la-Bruyere is talking about. Pests are pests from the very first day.
Ants, rats and many other pests infest our daily lives. You would certainly not like to expose our defenseless next generation to them. As a parent, you should know about prevention of pests for the safety of your young ones. Here are some common pests that trouble our children.
1. Rodents
Rats and mice are the most common. Their infection leads to diarrhea, a risk of Rat-bite fever and Bubonic plague. The best ways to keep them away:
- Rat traps – safest, non-poisoning way. Just be sure to keep them away from the reach of your children.
- Covering all entries – Screen all the windows and cover all the other possible entry points.
Some useful tips for using rat traps at home: “What to put on a mousetrap? Making a simple tool more effective”
2. Fleas
They can travel around your house and find their way to you, your kids and pets. Usually, tag along with anyone outdoors and sniff their way into a pack. They love the areas that don’t get direct sunlight. Sometimes, a flea bite can cause a rash that looks very similar to a diaper rash, so you must be cautious. Some common prevention steps include:
- Pamper your pets – Pets like a dog or a cat are the usually the ones who unintentionally brings someone home. Prevent them from going to a corner or a bush that doesn’t get direct sunlight. Use flea combs, bathe them regularly, and clean their beds as they are the best hiding place for them after pet’s fur.
- Keep your house clean – Always clean up your house and vacuum regularly.
- Maintain your backyard – Trim down grasses, keep it clean and block the areas that don’t get much sunlight.
3. Bed Bugs
These shameless pests attack you and your loved ones, especially the most peaceful time of your day. They usually get into homes either on clothing or through luggage.
- Keep a watch – While traveling, make sure luggage is kept in a clean area. Check thoroughly when you bring in a new sofa or bed.
- Keep your house clean – Remove clutter and vacuum frequently. Fill up cracks and crevices.
- Washing – They are extremely sensitive to heat. Use hot water while doing laundry. Heat treatment is the most effective way of getting rid of them while cleaning anything.
Most people cannot make out the common difference between flea bites and bed bug bites. Let me show you the difference:
- Flea Bites create redness and swelling, appear in clusters and can be very itchy. They often cause rashes.
- Bed bug bites result into small inflamed bumps that are itchy and usually appear in lines. They rarely cause rashes.
Also, you can read more about flea bites vs. bed bug bites at my blog Lovebackyard.com
4. Ants and Cockroaches
Black or red ants come in long trails, equipped with teamwork and bite painfully Roaches are often big, red, can fly (and occasionally scare ladies!) allied with a lot of germs and bacteria. Ways to defend our kids from these regular intruders are:
- Observe – Their entry point and seal them.
- Remove food – Clean up spills and crumbs to clear their food supply, seal all food containers properly, and do not leave any pet food in the tray overnight. Thus, save your child from a wide range of diseases.
5. Lice
Kids play together, so do lice. They usually travel through contact of heads as hairs are their habitat. They can be prevented by:
- Head-Shakes – Teach your kids to avoid head or hair contact and to avoid sharing hats, brushes, pillows, etc.
- Anti-Lice methods – Use neem, coconut or olive oil shampoo. Brush the kids’ hairs with anti-lice combs while they are still damp.
6. Mosquitoes
Our evenings to dawns get their stingy greetings, sometimes all day long. We are well aware of the threats like Dengue and Malaria they carry. We can protect our kids by:
- Water Clearing – Avoid stagnant water, especially where children like to play.
- Cover up – Screen your windows and doors to reduce their entry. Make your kids wear full-sleeve tops and long pants, cover baby strollers by mosquito nets.
- Repellents – Use low toxic repellents if required. Always read instructions before use.
7. Few More Pests
- Houseflies: They carry over 1 million bacteria and contaminate the spot. Properly cover your edibles.
- Deerflies: They are found in damp environment and attack with painful bites. Clean the bite spot and avoid scratching to prevent infection. Long sleeved clothes and repellents are best options.
- Ticks: Be careful of them while your kids brush against grass or plants as they can crawl into your skin. Usually, their bites cause no harm but sometimes they can cause trouble like Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
For additional care, you can use anti-bacterial soap for cleansing, keep your backyard and garden clean and take advice from a pest control expert. Always remember that your love and a little extra care will always shield your child.