The instructions say to leave the home for 4 hours and then it is safe to enter. But, is your home safe for the sensitive child?
Our home was overrun with fleas; the excessive heat this year seemed to help them breed faster. We finally decided to spray the home. After much research, we decided to use bug bombs (foggers) from the store. We spent a day prepping the home to minimize impacting our special needs child, including planning an overnight at the grandparents.
The overnight turned into 2 nights. Even after 48 hours away from the home, our child reacted to the chemicals. As soon as we opened the door, our child started screaming and crying. We took her for a walk and once she calmed down, we had her sit outdoors while we aired out the house and wiped down the floors and counters. Even with our efforts, she was still edgy so we returned to the grandparents for another 2 nights. When she returned the second time, she did much better.
We will always recall how our child reacted to the chemicals in our home and consider other options next time.
ResearchMama Insight: Even after airing out a home, there can be residual dust from the spray or fogger. Always use pesticides sparingly and cautiously, using them only as a last resort. I am always saddened to see the huge displays of pesticides at the hardware store or see how readily people use spray pesticides especially around children.
