The weather is warming up, and soon your children will be playing outdoors..From April through October , Lyme disease is a real threat to families across the U.S. There's been reports of bacterial illness have tripled since 1990....The good news is there are steps you can take to protect your child from tick bites...
Ticks can be a big trouble
Humans catch Lyme disease from deer ticks that have fed on animals infected with the bacterium , Athough white-tailed deer are most common to have ticks.... Ticks also feed on mammals like white-gooted mice....Ticks are very easy to miss ,They're the size of a pencil point , Adults are the size of sesame seed...Ticks do not jump like a fleas can..Once the ticks attached it buries its mouth to the skin and feeds on blood, potetially passing on the disease ( not all ticks are infected )....
Your backyard may be a breeding ground
Researchers think the number of Lyme cause is climbing because of the way neighborhood are set up now where deer abnd white-footed mice live....The most risk of encountering infected ticks is highest in the Northeast, the disease has been reported in every state except Montana......
You CAN stop ticks before they stick
To protect against bites, dress children in light-colored clothes ( so dark ticks are visible ) pants , socks , shoes , and long sleeves....Also consider using insect repellent that contains DEET. It's SAFE to use products with up to 30 percent DEET on children...The AAP also cautions that you should never use DEET on a child youngr than 2 months, that you shouldn't put it on a child's hand or face, and shouldn't apply it more than once daily.....
Checking for bugs is easy
During ticks season, check your child and pets for ticks daily....Watch for spots that look like freckles, and focus on warm , moist areas where ticks hide : the groin, armpits, and hairline.... If you do find a tick , don't fret...If the bug is infected, it takes 36-48 hours to transmit the bacterium....If you're checking daily, the tick probably hasn't been attached for that long....And even in areas where Lyme disease is rampant, there's only a 2 to 3 percent risk that people with a bite will develop the disease....
Lyme is difficult to diagnose
A child with the disease usually develops a rash 7 to 14 days after his/her encounter with a tick.....Sometimes it's round bull's eye rash, but frequently is doesn't take that shape.... One thing is certain: It will linger ' If it's gone in 2 days without treatment, it's not Lyme.....but 20% of bite victims don't get any rash, watch for other symptoms , inluding headache, joint swelling, fever, muscle pain and fatigue....There symptoms can be look like a 24-hour virus, but they don't go away....One way to find out if your child has Lyme is to get a blood test that may determine wheater the body has developed antibodies to the disease....But the antibodies can't be detected until 3-4 weeks after the bite and the tests are often inaccurate....That's why your doctor may prescibe medication immediately if he or she suspects Lyme......Pediatricians usually prescribe a 21 days course of antibiotics which often wipes out the bacteria...In some cases, a longer course may be needed....Once your child is Lyme-Free , Don't stop checking for ticks because he/she could be exposed again....
It's natural to be nervous but you need to remember that thorough ticks checks really do work...
Ticks can be a big trouble
Humans catch Lyme disease from deer ticks that have fed on animals infected with the bacterium , Athough white-tailed deer are most common to have ticks.... Ticks also feed on mammals like white-gooted mice....Ticks are very easy to miss ,They're the size of a pencil point , Adults are the size of sesame seed...Ticks do not jump like a fleas can..Once the ticks attached it buries its mouth to the skin and feeds on blood, potetially passing on the disease ( not all ticks are infected )....
Your backyard may be a breeding ground
Researchers think the number of Lyme cause is climbing because of the way neighborhood are set up now where deer abnd white-footed mice live....The most risk of encountering infected ticks is highest in the Northeast, the disease has been reported in every state except Montana......
You CAN stop ticks before they stick
To protect against bites, dress children in light-colored clothes ( so dark ticks are visible ) pants , socks , shoes , and long sleeves....Also consider using insect repellent that contains DEET. It's SAFE to use products with up to 30 percent DEET on children...The AAP also cautions that you should never use DEET on a child youngr than 2 months, that you shouldn't put it on a child's hand or face, and shouldn't apply it more than once daily.....
Checking for bugs is easy
During ticks season, check your child and pets for ticks daily....Watch for spots that look like freckles, and focus on warm , moist areas where ticks hide : the groin, armpits, and hairline.... If you do find a tick , don't fret...If the bug is infected, it takes 36-48 hours to transmit the bacterium....If you're checking daily, the tick probably hasn't been attached for that long....And even in areas where Lyme disease is rampant, there's only a 2 to 3 percent risk that people with a bite will develop the disease....
Lyme is difficult to diagnose
A child with the disease usually develops a rash 7 to 14 days after his/her encounter with a tick.....Sometimes it's round bull's eye rash, but frequently is doesn't take that shape.... One thing is certain: It will linger ' If it's gone in 2 days without treatment, it's not Lyme.....but 20% of bite victims don't get any rash, watch for other symptoms , inluding headache, joint swelling, fever, muscle pain and fatigue....There symptoms can be look like a 24-hour virus, but they don't go away....One way to find out if your child has Lyme is to get a blood test that may determine wheater the body has developed antibodies to the disease....But the antibodies can't be detected until 3-4 weeks after the bite and the tests are often inaccurate....That's why your doctor may prescibe medication immediately if he or she suspects Lyme......Pediatricians usually prescribe a 21 days course of antibiotics which often wipes out the bacteria...In some cases, a longer course may be needed....Once your child is Lyme-Free , Don't stop checking for ticks because he/she could be exposed again....
It's natural to be nervous but you need to remember that thorough ticks checks really do work...