How Do You Avoid Bed Bugs at Summer Camp?

When sending your children to summer camp add to the list of things to pack for them advice on how to avoid bed bugs at summer camp.

You should instruct your children about how to avoid them and what to do if they do get bit. This attention to bed bugs is important because summer camps—with their constant influx of new campers—provide the perfect scenario for bed bugs to be unwittingly brought in and to spread.

Knowing how to avoid bed bugs, as well as what to do if they are bitten, can keep your child from having to suffer while at camp—and also from bringing bed bugs back into your home.

Prepare for Bed Bugs At Summer Camp:

  • How to Prepare Your Children for the Possibility of Bed Bugs
  • Show them pictures of bed begs, and tell them to thoroughly inspect their bed and mattress, being sure to check in all cracks, crevices, and holes. Pack a flashlight to help them look.
  • Pack one-percent hydrocortisone cream and/or Benadryl in case they are bitten by bed bugs, and make sure they understand that excessive scratching can lead to infection.
  • Insist that they tell a counselor if they find any bed bugs or if they’ve been bitten.
  • Explain how keeping their bed and surrounding area clean and tidy can help to keep bed bugs from having places to hide.
  • Don’t overly frighten them–explain that bed bugs, while nasty, don’t carry disease. You want them to know how to avoid bed bugs, but you don’t want to create an obsession that will ruin their fun.
  • Use soft luggage that can be dried over heat when they return, so that bed bugs aren’t transferred into your home.

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