Parents Should Check Children For Ticks

Tick Bites

Parents are encouraged to check their children for tick bites following outside activities.

According to Dr. John Pickering, Public Health Administrator, a recent death of an eleven year old Missouri child who was bitten by a tick in late May and died ten days later has prompted this appeal to parents and caregivers to check their children after they have been outdoors playing or conducting other activities. "Tests performed on the child at St. Louis Children's Hospital showed the child was infected with a disease related to Rocky Mountain spotted fever," said Dr. Pickering. "Serious complications from diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever are rare, but a death like this of an otherwise healthy child is a solemn reminder of the importance of avoiding tick bites to reduce the risk of getting a tick-borne disease," Pickering said.

Ticks live in and near wooded areas, tall grass and brush. Diseases associated with tick bites include, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia. According to Dr. Pickering, ticks become active and can spread disease any time of the year when the temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or more at ground level. June and July are the peak months for tick-borne illnesses.

Ticks may be no bigger than a pin head so it is important to look carefully at exposed skin when checking for ticks. The Illinois Department of Public Health offers the following tips to protect yourself and your children from tick bites:

• Check your clothing often for ticks climbing toward open skin. Wear white or light-colored long-sleeved shirts and long pants so the tiny ticks are easier to see.

• Tuck long pants into your socks and boots. Wear a head covering or hat for added protection.

• Apply insect repellent containing DEET (30 percent or less) to exposed skin (except the face). Be sure to wash treated skin after coming indoors. If you do cover up, use repellents for clothing containing permethrin to treat clothes (especially pants, socks and shoes) while in locations where ticks may be common. Follow label directions; do not misuse or overuse repellents.

• Always supervise children in the use of repellents.

• Walk in the center of trails so weeds do not brush against you.

• "Tick Checks" are an important method of preventing tick-borne diseases. In areas where ticks my be present, be sure and check yourself, children and other family members every two to three hours for ticks. Most ticks seldom attach quickly and rarely transmit tick-borne disease until they have been attached for four or more hours.

• If you let your pet outdoors, check them often for ticks. Infected ticks also can transmit disease to them. (Check with your veterinarian about preventive measures against tick-borne diseases.) You are at risk from ticks that "hitch a ride" on your pets but fall off in your home before they feed.

• Remove any tick promptly. Do not try to burn the tick with a match or cover it with petroleum jelly or nail polish. Do not use bare hands. The best way to remove a tick is to grasp it with fine-point tweezers as close to the skin as possible and gently, but firmly, pull it straight out. Do not twist or jerk the tick. If tweezers are not available, grasp the tick with a piece of cloth or whatever can be used as a barrier between your fingers and the tick. You may want to put the tick in a jar of rubbing alcohol labeled with the date and location of the bite in case you seek medical attention and your physician wishes to have the tick identified.

• Wash the bite area and your hands thoroughly with soap and water, and apply an antiseptic to the bite site.

• Keep your grass mowed and keep weeds cut around your home.

• Know the symptoms of tick-borne disease and consult with your physician if you have a rash or unexplained fever with flu-like illness (without a cough) during the month following a tick bite-these can be symptoms of a tick-borne disease.
source;www.emaxhealth.com