The rise of bedbugs

It may seem surprising given the modern mania for hygiene and cleanliness, but I recently learned that bedbugs are now more common than ever.

Experts blame the rise in travel for the growing number of bedbug infestations throughout the developed world. bedbugs thrive in the soft upholstery of trains, planes and other modes of transport, and they can easily move from suitcase to suitcase in crowded baggage holds.

Once bedbugs have gained a foothold in your home, they can be incredibly difficult to get rid of. Their tiny size means that they can hide almost anywhere, and the only way to be sure of ridding your home of them is to call in a professional pest control company.

The real health danger of plastic bags

Plastic bags often come with a suffocation warning written on them, and for good reason. Contrary to popular belief, a plastic bag does not need to be placed over a child’s head in order for them to suffocate; it simply needs to make a tight seal over their nose and mouth.

Considering a young child’s propensity to put every item they come into contact with into their mouth, this scene is far from improbable – especially when a young child faced with being unable to breathe would not automatically think to pull the bag away from their face.

The child could end up breathing more of the plastic bag into their nose and mouth as they panic, reducing their chances of being able to gain access to oxygen.

Cases have also been recorded where a child has suffocated on a piece of plastic bag they have chewed off and which has become lodged in their throat, so removing the plastic bag from the face of a child is not always enough.

The advice is simple: keep plastic bags away from young children.