Responding to Bed Bugs in Schools

The most common way for bed bugs to enter a school is through “hitchhiking” from an infested site. Usually this will be from a student, staff or teacher’s home which has a bed bug infestation. While teachers and staff can be more easily addressed dealing with students or parents can be challenging, especially if the family cannot afford proper control measures or their landlord refuses to properly treat their home.

Students dealing with a bed bug infestation in their home may show signs of bites. Different people react differently to bed bug bites, some people do not react at all, and others have severe allergic reactions. Depending on the student’s immune response to bed bug bites and the severity of the infestation there may be a few or many welts on the face, torso, and limbs. Bed Bugs tend to bite on skin that is exposed during sleep or rest. The visible marks and itchiness may make the student very uncomfortable. Students may also display anxiousness and/or sleepiness due to interrupted sleep because of bed bugs biting them.