With tick bites getting a lot of attention in the media, we want to keep our patients and parents informed. There has been a higher incidence of tick bites reported recently, but its important to know when to be concerned.

 

NOT ALL TICKS CAUSE LYME DISEASE. Ticks that are of the Borrelia species are those known to cause Lyme Disease. The likelihood of transmission however, depends on the length of time a tick is attached to a patient’s skin. Those attached less than 24 hours have a very small chance of transmitting disease. Depending on your provider’s concern and your child’s age, your child may be monitored for presence of fever, rash and other symptoms. Or, your pediatrician may want to give antibiotics to treat Lyme Disease in a setting where there is high clinical suspicion for transmission.

 

Prevention:

If spending time outdoors, consider dressing children in long pants and shirts to avoid tick and other insect bites. We also recommend using insect repellant to exposed areas of skin. And lastly, always check your child for ticks and consider bathing after being outdoors.

 

Found a tick on your child?

If you find a tick on your child, remove it. The best way to remove a tick is with tweezers, pulling upward and applying even pressure. If you do not feel comfortable removing the tick yourself, see your pediatrician immediately. If your child develops a fever or bullseye rash within the next two weeks, follow with your pediatrician for further treatment.

 

Fun fact: Tick twisters are a small tool that we use in the office to easily and safely remove ticks! If you’re interested in keeping this tool in your home, you can purchase one online at: www.ticktwister.com

 

For more information regarding tick bites, go to www.cdc.gov or www.healthychildren.org

 

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