Is this your symptom?
- Bites from bed bugs
Symptoms of Bed Bug Bites
- Usually cause itchy, red bumps in a group or line
- Often look like a hive or mosquito bite
- Bite may have a red dot (puncture) in the center. This is where the bed bug bit through the skin.
- Some times, a small blister can occur in the center
- Bites are usually on exposed skin (arms, legs and face)
- Bites are usually first noted in the morning, but the reaction can be delayed. You could have been bitten, for example, while you were staying in a hotel a week ago.
Diagnosis of Bed Bug Bites
- Bed bugs are small blood-sucking bugs.
- Live bed bugs hide and are not usually seen. Looking closely at the mattress may find some.
- They are ¼ inch (6 mm), flat, oval shaped, reddish-brown bugs.
- Suspect bed bugs if more than 3 red bumps in a row are on exposed skin. The bumps or bites are very itchy.
- Bed bug waste is found on bedding or mattress seams. It looks like dark brown flecks or coffee grounds.
- A blood stain on the sheet is sometimes found. This is from a bug squashed after feeding.
Cause of Bed Bug Bite Reactions
- The skin bumps are the body's reaction to the bug's saliva.
- While the bug is sucking blood, some of its saliva get mixed in.
- During the day, bed bugs hide in the corners of mattresses. They may also be found in bed crevices, floors, and walls.
- At night, the bed bugs come out of hiding. They feed on humans for about 5 minutes.
Preventing Bed Bugs
- More than half of bed bug infestations in homes start after recent travel.
- Avoid hotels and hostels where bed bugs have been reported.
- When you check into a hotel room, look for signs of bed bugs. Look for flecks of their waste (look like coffee grounds) in the bedding and mattress. If you see them, ask for another room.
- Keep your luggage and clothing on a luggage rack off the floor.
- When you return from a trip, place all travel clothing into the clothes dryer. Run the dryer for 20 to 30 minutes. Reason: the heat will kill any bed bugs or their eggs that are present. One pregnant bed bug can spread bed bugs to an entire house.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Can bed bugs transmit HIV or hepatitis? This is highly unlikely. It has never been reported.
- Do bed bugs like dirt? Not really. What bed bugs like is the warmth of the human body. Dirty and cluttered spaces just give bed bugs a place to hide.
- Are bed bugs too small to be seen? No. You can see adult bed bugs. They are about the size of an apple seed (¼ inch; 4-7 mm).
- Are bed bugs afraid of the light? They do prefer darkness. But keeping the light on will not stop bed bugs from biting you.
When to Call for Bed Bug Bite
Call 911 Now
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
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Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
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Self Care at Home
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Call 911 Now
- Severe allergic reaction suspected. Symptoms include sudden trouble breathing or swallowing.
- You think you have a life-threatening emergency
Call Doctor or Seek Care Now
- You have a fever and spreading red area or streak
- Spreading red area or red streak that's very large
- You feel weak or very sick
Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours
- Painful spreading redness started more than 24 hours after the bite. Note: any redness starting in the first 24 hours is a reaction to the bite.
- More than 48 hours since the bite and redness gets larger
- You think you need to be seen
Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- Severe itching not better after 24 hours of using steroid cream
- Scab that looks infected (drains pus or gets bigger) and not better with antibiotic ointment
- After 7 days, bites are not better
- After 14 days, bites are not gone
- You have other questions or concerns
Self Care at Home
- Normal bed bug bite
Care Advice for Stomach Pain
What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
- Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
- Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
- Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Lie Down:
- Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
Clear Fluids:
- Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
- For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
Prepare for Vomiting:
- Keep a vomiting pan handy.
- Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
Pass a Stool:
- Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
- This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
- Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
Do Not Give Medicines:
- Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
- Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
- For fever higher than 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
What to Expect:
- With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
- With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
- With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
- Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
Extra Help - Worried Stomach:
- Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
- Help your child worry less about things she can't control.
- To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
- Make sure that your child doesn't miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
- Caution: your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.
