Keep in mind it is extremely hard to see even one bed bug, and you can have them for a while before you see a single sign.

If anyone in your family starts to have a skin problem — itchy or non-itchy new rashes, welts, scabs — I would have your home inspected by a careful and knowledgeable pro, one experienced with bed bugs. Not everyone reacts to bites, but in an entire family, someone may well do so.

If you can’t find one, come to the forums and someone may have a recommendation.

Also, there are bed bug dogs in Ohio and they are an option for detection in the absence of visual evidence. (They can also help PCOs see where bed bugs are present.) Come to the forums if you need a lead!

I hope you all remain bed bug-free.

You should also read the FAQs and learn as much as you can about bed bugs from the LINKS. (FAQS and LINKS also in the top navigation menu tabs).

Since it is likely bed bugs may still be present if a traditional treatment was used, it would not be a bad idea for kids from the infested pre-K and nursery school to keep belongings at school (coat, backpack) in a sealed XL ziploc. And for these items to be sealed in the home.

Better yet– leaving belongings at home.

Kids who come home might be asked to remove clothing at the door, which would be immediately sealed in a ziploc bag for later washing.

Baking backpacks and clothing/shoes in the low heat of a Packtite after school would be another option.

(Full disclosure: we’re a Packtite affiliate. This means we get a commission which helps pay our operating costs — at no cost to you– if you follow the link and buy one. But we would not recommend it if Bedbuggers were not finding it helpful.)

This is extreme, but again, I am talking about a situation where you think the classroom may still be infested.

You might ask the school exactly what kind of treatment was used (again, we’re assuming spray and dust) and whether there will be repeats.

You could ask whether they are considering using a bed bug dog to detect whether bed bugs are completely gone, and indeed– whether they are present in other areas. Kids/staff from those classes may have moved them around. Even cleaning/maint. staff could move them around without knowing.