Ticks

Ticks are plentiful in this area of the country from May to October.  A small percentage of them carry the organisms which cause Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, and Lyme Disease.  Ticks rarely transmit these infections until they have fed on a person for several hours.  Therefore, prompt removal may prevent disease.  Examine your children frequently during the spring and summer months for the presence of ticks.  Keeping your pets free of ticks is a good preventive measure.

Ticks may be removed by grasping them near the skin with small tweezers or your fingertips and gently pulling until the skin is released.  Avoid squeezing the tick's body while removing it.

There is no therapy which will prevent Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis, or Lyme Disease, although they are treatable once the disease is present.  Obviously, it is most easily treated when recognized early.  The common symptoms (fever, headache, abdominal pain, muscle aches and a rash) follow the tick bite in 4-12 days.  There is no reason to call upon finding a tick, but call if the child becomes sick within the 4-12 day period or develops a gradually enlarging circular rash.