What can parents do to protect their children from tick bites and Lyme disease?
When an infected tick takes a blood meal from a human, that person can become infected. The tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours to transmit the disease. Prompt removal of ticks is important to prevent Lyme disease. I recommend nightly tick checks. To remove a tick, use blunt tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the attachment site as possible and pull out firmly (I find tweezers can macerate the tick so I prefer to use my fingers. Always wash you hands well after handling a tick! Remember that the ticks on you pets carry the same infectious diseases.) Once the tick is removed, wash the site of bite well with soap and water. The initial redness at the site is a reaction to tick saliva. If the head of the tick is not removed, do not panic! It will work its way out on its own in a few days. There is little risk of disease transmission from an isolated head. Of course the best way to prevent tick-borne illness is to keep the ticks off in first place. Wear long sleeves with cuffs and
