What is it? Ticks are bugs that get their nutrition from blood, so they are attracted to mammals and humans for nutrition. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that some deer ticks (only a certain species) carry which they can spread to humans if attached for too long while feeding.
Common Types
Non Deer Tick
Needs to be removed, area where it bit cleansed and watch for infection
Deer Tick
Not all deer ticks have lyme disease, and not all ticks with lyme disease will spread lyme disease to your kid!
Lyme Disease - comes from a deer tick being attached
Is a bacterial infection -> can be treated with antibiotics
Causes common symptoms such as a ‘bullseye rash”, headache, fever, joint aches, or fatigue
Is only likely to be spread after 36 hours of a tick with lyme disease being attached, more likely if the tick is engorged (swollen).
Speak with Poppins and/or your doctor about whether antibiotic prophylaxis (to prevent Lyme Disease) is appropriate! Best started within 72 hours of the tick being attached.
Tick testing is NOT recommended, as it cannot guide treatment for lyme disease
Deer Tick vs Non-Deer Tick
When to Manage at Home
✅ You can manage your child's tick bite at home when:
There is a red bump at the bite site that lasts several days without any other discharge or red streaking or circular rashes.
How to Treat at Home
How to remove a tick
Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water.
Techniques to remove a tick that are NOT recommended include petroleum jelly, fingernail polish, isopropyl alcohol, or a hot match. Unlike the use of tweezers, these techniques have been found to increase the likelihood of tick mouth-parts being left in host skin
Safe Medications for repellant -> tick prevention
⚠️ For all tick repellants applied on the skin, apply after sunscreen, reapply after swimming, and follow the manufacturer's label directions for how often you can use it (depends on concentration/product) —>> maybe make a chart for all of these?
EPA-registered insect repellents with 20–30% DEET
Safe for 2 months of age or older and helps prevent ticks attaching
Higher concentrations of DEET are not recommended because they do not provide more protection and high concentrations can be more toxic
Picaridin
A synthetic compound made from pepper plants
Non greasy and odorless
May work just as well as DEET
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus
Only use in ages 3 years and higher -> studies have not shown safety in children younger than this age
Use permethrin-treated clothing (not directly on skin)
Using permethrin concentrations used to treat clothing directly on the skin may irritate skin causing it to be red, itchy or tingly, and in larger concentrations not intended for use may be toxic
Home remedies for Tick Prevention:
Dress children in long sleeves/pants; tuck pants into socks in wooded areas
So those ticks can’t get in!
Perform a full-body tick check within 2 hours of coming indoors
Especially behind ears, underarms, waistline, groin, behind knees, and scalp where ticks are attracted because it’s moist and warm
Shower within 2 hours of exposure
May help to reduce the chance of Lyme transmission.
Place clothes in a hot dryer for 10 minutes after being outside
To kill any remaining ticks or tick eggs on clothing that you can’t see
When to Manage at Home
✅ You can manage your child's tick bite at home when:
There is a red bump at the bite site that lasts several days without any other discharge or red streaking or circular rashes.
When to Follow up Again
🩺 Go to an in-person appointment if:
Your child develops redness/swelling/pain and or discharge/fever concerning for infection
Develops expanding redness or a “bullseye” rash.
If your child develops fever, headache, fatigue, joint pain, or facial droop in the month after a tick bite
If your gut tells you something is wrong, don't hesitate to reach out. Need help? Reconnect with our on-demand team of medical staff available 24/7.
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