A colleague of mine was recently traumatized
after she found a tick on her head. She discovered
it while driving and, in a moment of panic, ripped
it off and tried to drown it in her coffee (not the
recommended way to kill a tick, by the way). This
sparked a conversation in the office: Why do ticks
seem to be so bad this year?
Mike Schardein, M.S., environmental biologist,
with the Kentucky Division of Epidemiology and
Health Planning, told me the tick population isn’t
necessarily higher, but the mild winter is bringing
them out earlier than normal.
“We really needed a string of days with
temperatures in the 20s or below, and we didn’t
get it,” Schardein said. “Plus, this warm spring
also is drawing people and pets outside, leading
to early contact.”
This means parents already need to be extra
vigilant, as ticks are known to carry Lyme disease
and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Libby Wilson
Mims, M.D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s
Medical Associates – Shepherdsville, explains how
to spot ticks and remove them safely.
“Ticks are all different sizes, so giving your
child and yourself a good once-over at the end of
a day outside is important,” Dr. Mims. “This can
be done during bath time for children or when
getting cleaned up and ready for bed.”
Most ticks can be seen relatively easily, but
they do like to hide on the scalp under hair and
warmer areas such as armpits. Dr. Mims advises
that parents look for black bumps on the skin
and scalp.
If you spot a tick, use the tried-and-true method
to remove it.
“Home remedies are not recommended,” Dr.
Mims said. “The old wives’ tales of using petroleum
jelly, dish soap and other strategies are not as
effective and can cause skin irritation.”
HERE’S WHAT PARENTS SHOULD DO IF
YOUR CHILD HAS A TICK BITE:
1. Get the tweezers as close to the head of the
tick as possible.
2. Pull directly up and away from the skin to
remove the tick. If you have a tight hold of it, it
should come out intact, including the head. Do
not pull the body of the tick, because squeezing the
body can allow the tick to regurgitate the contents
back into the bite, possibly causing infection. It also
increases the chance the head will detach and stay
imbedded in the skin.
3. If sections of the mouthparts of the tick remain
in the skin, they should be left alone. They normally
will be expelled naturally.
4. Wash the affected area with warm soap and
water once you have removed the tick
5. Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in
alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container,
wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the
toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers.
In rare cases, swelling and redness may develop
at the site of the bite — a sign there could be an
infection. If that happens, see your physician
for possible treatment, which may include an
antibiotic.
“If further symptoms develop, such as fever,
body aches, headache or rash — specifically a
bull’s eye-shaped rash around the bite — seek
immediate medical treatment,” Dr. Mims said.
“These may be symptoms of Lyme disease or
Rocky Mountain spotted fever.”
Lyme disease is rare in our area, but the risk for
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is higher. According
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Rocky Mountain spotted fever diagnoses are
highest among males, American Indians and
people age 40 and older.
“Most tick bites are usually painless, and
about half of the people who develop Rocky
Mountain spotted fever do not