Bed bugs can be bothersome and potentially dangerous pests, especially if they infect your toddler's room. Although bed bugs aren't known to transmit dangerous diseases to humans, the pests may cause allergic reactions in some people if the bed bugs bite them. If your toddler scratches their bed bug bites, they may be vulnerable to bacterial infections in the skin. The shed skins and feces of bed bugs may also cause respiratory problems in your child if they inhale them. You can help protect your toddler from bed bugs with the information and tips below.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?

Bed bugs can hide in the bedspreads, clothing, sheets, shoes, and other items in the room. The bugs can also defecate in the bedding when they come out to feed at night. If your child accidentally rolls over or swats the bed bugs, the pests may leave behind blood on the bedding. In addition, bed bugs release musty odors from their body's glands that may irritate or offend your sense of smell.

The pests are also known to frequent curtains, carpeting and wall sockets, as well as the frames and mattresses of beds. All of these locations make ideal breeding and feeding grounds for bed bugs.

You can take steps to protect your child by cleaning the items in their room thoroughly.

How Do You Get Rid of the Bed Bugs?

Before you get started, remove all of the bedding, clothing and footwear from your child's room and place the items in large plastic bags. Tie the ends of the bags together to keep the pests from crawling out and infecting new places. Bed bugs don't hop or jump, but they can crawl to new locations and hide. In some cases, bed bugs may hide and go without food for up to a year. Confining them in the bags may help prevent new infestations in the home.

Now, follow these steps:

1. Carry the bags to the utility room for cleaning. You may want to wash one small load at a time to clean the items thoroughly. 
2. Dry each load for about 30 minutes at a temperature of 120 degrees or higher. Excessive heat rapidly kills the bugs and their eggs.
3. Complete each load until you have successfully washed and dried your child's items.

Before you return your child's items to their room, remove and wash the curtains and other window treatments in hot water. It's a good idea that you vacuum or mop the flooring in your child's room with non-toxic floor cleaner as well. Be sure to vacuum out the child's closet, dresser drawers, bed frames, mattresses, and any other location that may hide bed bugs.

If you suspect that bed bugs have spread to other areas of the home, follow the same steps above to remove them. If you still see signs of bed bugs after a few days, contact pest control like Bug Busters for assistance.