Ticks and Lyme Disease

Prevention is the Best Medicine

• Wear protective clothing, ideally long pants and long-sleeved shirts in woodlands and tall grass
• Wear bug repellents with DEET - also spray clothing and shoes
• Perform daily tick checks. Download our free Tick Shower Card (14k pdf). This is a great tool for kids to learn how to check themselves for ticks. Early removal of ticks prevents Lyme and other tick borne diseases.
• Protect your pets too
• Spray your yard for ticks

Recognize the Symptoms

• A bulls-eye rash
• Flu-like symptoms (fever, headache, body aches)
• Joint pain and swelling

Studies have shown that ticks must remain attached for at least 36 hours in order to transmit the Lyme bacteria.

In Case of Tick Bite

1. First of all, don’t panic! Most tick bites do not transmit Lyme or any other disease.
2. Don’t worry if the bite site has black flecks in it. Sometimes the mouth parts of the tick remain at the bite site; they do not transmit disease.
3. Expect the bite site to be red for 7 to 10 days. Apply a dab of antibiotic ointment and a dab of 1% hydrocortisone ointment three times a day for five days to minimize this inflammation.
4. Please call us if...
   • your child develops a ring-shaped red rash (especially if it is at the bite site) in the month following the bite (note: A rash that appears in the first three days after the bite is very unlikely to be Lyme disease.)
   • your child develops fever in the month following the bite
   • your child becomes achy in the month following the bite
   • your child develops joint pain or swelling in the month following the bite
5. As always, don’t hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. Best wishes for a happy and healthy summer!

Treat within 30 days

• Lyme disease is treated in the early stages with oral antibiotics