Safeguarding Children’s Health

Whether it’s our children at home or in schools and other public places, we all want to protect them from any threat to their health and well-being. Pests are one important threat to children. A wide variety of pests are involved, but listed below are the four top pest health threats to our children.

1. COCKROACHES. This was a surprise threat no one was aware of until research showed roaches are a top cause of allergies among children. The allergens are the proteins in the cast skins and excrement of the roaches. The cockroaches’ ability to transmit a vast array of other diseases is legendary, including food poisoning as they wander over food and food-preparation surfaces.

2. RATS & MICE. These pests are another source of allergies in children. Rodents also transmit hantavirus and many other diseases, can bite babies, contaminate food with their droppings, and carry fleas and ticks which can then bite children and transmit diseases.

3. STINGING INSECTS. Insects like wasps and yellow jackets are everywhere, and fire ants and Africanized honey bees are spreading in this country. One or several stings from any of these insects is usually painful but not life-threatening unless a child is highly allergic to them. But even children who aren’t allergic are in danger if they wander too close to a hive and are attacked by large numbers of stinging insects.

4. MOSQUITOES. Because these insects transmit everything from West Nile virus to Zika, these pests are frequently in the news. West Nile is only one of many encephalitis-type diseases that mosquitoes can transmit. All cause a dangerous inflammation of the brain, and children are particularly vulnerable.