09/08/2017
Easton Area News
Bedbug found at Paxinosa Elementary School
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Updated on September 7, 2017 at 8:26 PM, Posted on September 7, 2017 at 4:01 PM
A bedbug was found in a third-grade classroom at Paxinosa Elementary School, according to a letter sent home to parents.
The letter sent home Wednesday with children in Tina Joynes' class says the bug was found in their classroom in Easton. The letter from the Easton Area School District cautions parents not to overreact and urges them to check their children for bite symptoms.
A fact sheet on the state health department website says the pests are becoming so common that they'll inevitably find their way into many public schools.
"Bedbugs can and will hitchhike into your school. It is only a matter of time," said the information sheet compiled by Penn State University.
The state discourages the use of pesticides in schools to curtail bedbugs because they rarely work. The key is educating parents to spot them before children come to school and to isolate infested items.
The state website says an infestation in a school is unlikely, but it is likely for a child or teacher to bring bedbugs into school on a piece of clothing or a bookbag.
Parents might not report bedbugs because they're afraid their children will be stigmatized as being dirty, but hygiene has nothing to do with bedbug infestations, according to the state website.
It's important that parents report cases so the spread of the bugs can be contained.
"Even though it is unlikely for bedbugs to infest a school, the Easton Area School District will conduct an inspection and, if needed, will implement a pest management plan in the area where the bed bug was found," the letter sent home with Paxinosa children said.
Bedbugs found in Warren County elementary school
Bedbugs found in Warren County elementary school
Franklin Township Elementary School remains open as a pest management company conducts inspections.
Assistant Superintendent Alyssa Emili said the discovery of bedbugs is routine for all schools.
"It's happened before," said Easton Area School Board President Frank Pintabone. "Our staff gets right on it and we deal with the problem immediately."
The state health department recommends children with bedbugs should not be sent home from school. The insects don't transmit disease, so they are not considered a health threat. They're considered a pest.
BED BUG FACTS
Most bed bug bites are initially painless, but later turn into large, itchy skin welts. These welts do not have a red spot in the center like flea bites.
People often carry bedbugs into their homes in luggage, furniture, bedding, or clothing. Bedbugs may also travel through small crevices and cracks in walls and floors.
If you suspect you have a bug problem, look for skin welts or for the bugs themselves, small bloodstains from crushed insects or dark spots from their droppings.
It is often hard to see the bugs because they hide in or near beds, other furniture, and in cracks.
