Tyler, Texas — The bugs in East Texas aren't only a pest in your house, but experts are now telling us that they might even make you physically sick.
Cockroaches can not only trigger allergic reactions, but they can also cause severe asthma attacks, especially in children.
Everyone knows that cockroaches can be nasty pests that you can find around your house and unfortunately, often inside.
Alpha Pest Control's, Dennis Newberry, tells KETK, "Most roaches get into your home through the outside in, around doors that have thresh holds that are not tight, and another way is carried in with fire wood."
Roaches reproduce rapidly and leave eggs even after they are gone. Newberry tells KETK that even after exterminated, roaches dead bodies can remain in your house until they are personally removed.
We asked an Asthma Specialist how this can be a hazard not only to you, but especially your children.
Dr. Paul Sharkey said, "Due to particle size and how far out it distributes in your airway and then different proteins can be more or less apt to cause different allergic reactions, so probably it's a combination that its got good penetration into your airways and it can just stimulate your immune system to make allergic reactions."
Research shows that the most important allergen in homes comes from cockroaches, ranking ahead of cat dander and even dust mites.
Dr. Sharkey said, "Anyone who tells me they don't have roaches I nod my head but I check off that they do, so pretty much everybody is going to be exposed to a roach and even if its not so much in your home you go to public buildings and at school you're going to get exposure there, but it's very common and its very common cause for more severe asthma."
Although you can buy what is called a roach "motel" to try rid your home of these pests, Newberry tells KETK that these insects need to be professionally exterminated.
Dr. Sharkey said, "The kitchen is the main place you're going to find them so they want water and food sources, so you walk around and look for holes or cracks that they may come in and you seal those up, you can use roach traps or you can use boric acid behind appliances."
He also told KETK to be careful trying to exterminate them yourself, because people who are sensitive to roach allergies are most likely sensitive to the chemicals in roach traps.