Dr. Deb

My Mom always tucked us in with, “Sleep Tight! Don’t let the bedbugs bite!” I remember asking her, “What is a bedbug?” No one even knew that they were real because they had not been around since WWII. Well, the bedbug is back and he is ready to party. Bedbugs have increased by 500% in the last few years due to increased travel, resistance to pesticides and restriction of certain pesticides.

What are bedbugs?

The bugs are the size of an apple seed after they fed on blood of animals or people. One meal can last them for several months, up to a year. Newborns are colorless and turn brown as they mature. Eggs are 1/32 of an inch and white so they are very hard to see.

Bedbugs are not poisonous and don’t cause harm but can be annoying if you have an allergic reaction to the saliva, which causes itching. Benadryl cream and pills can relieve the itch. Some people do not have an allergic reaction and may live with bedbugs for months without realizing it.  Most people are bit in the head, face, and neck, as the bedbug is attracted to the carbon dioxide of one’s breath. Psychologically, they can be devastating because they are so persistent and difficult to treat. I had nightmares just researching the topic. I can’t imagine the stress if your home becomes infested.

Dr. Deb’s 5 Steps of Bedbug Prevention

1. Inspect

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Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers talented freshman, is one of 3 teenagers that committed suicide in the month of September after a Cyberbullying incident. Tyler’s roommate filmed him having sex with a man and broadcast it on the internet, not once but twice.  His roommate and another female student are being charged with invasion of privacy and may face manslaughter charges. My initial reaction was throw the book at them. Make an example of them! What givens anyone the right to videotape someone privately especially in a sexual act whether  that person be homosexual or heterosexual.

Who we really need to throw the book at is ourselves. In my lifetime we have seen grocery store tabloids jump from the paper, to the Internet and into our own “reality” worlds. Outrageous, cruel, salacious behavior has become the norm for attention and ratings. We have created a society that is more involved with “Hits”, “Likes” and “Friends” than building relationships and doing what is right.

Bullying has always been around but the consequences of cyberbullying goes far beyond a playground black eye.   The bully never has to see the actual pain they have inflicted. The Internet is forever, yet teens use it to broadcast their every impulse. 25-50% of all teens will be cyberbullyed. Parents need to wake up and get involved. “I don’t have time to learn about it,” or “What I can do?” is no longer excusable.

Screens have always been a babysitter and Lord knows I used television plenty with my 4 but at least I was in charge of the content that they saw. The technology is everywhere and you can’t keep it away,  therefore you must teach your child how to navigate it.  We must have a standard of behavior online that is free of bullying and prejudice and promotes responsibility. Behavior not tolerated in the Real World should not be allowed online. Allowing your kids to have 24/7 access to media without supervision and communication is the one of main reason why those students and the students that watched did not have the clarity to see the horror of their actions.

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying involves sending mean, threatening messages, photos or videos that can be sensitive or private to the other person. It may involve stealing identities or spreading lies via emails, Instant Message, texting, blogging, webpages, chat rooms or other social networking sites.

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