TICKS 101

Ticks Ticks Ticks… it seems to come up on the daily. I checked in with my favorite NP, you may have seen her Meet a Mom earlier this week. This is what she had to say on the Tick Topic:

As the weather warms and we start to come out and be about, so do the bugs. Ugh! Sometimes they are just a nuisance and sometimes they can have serious health impacts. The incidence of tick borne illnesses has been increasing steadily. So what should you do…check daily for ticks in hard to see places – and on pets!

What happens when I find a tick?

If you find one remove it – sometimes easier said then done. With larger ticks, you can try placing a soap soaked cotton ball on the tick for 30 seconds, the tick may stick to the cotton ball when its lifted! (That’s the easy and preferable method). If that does not work, time for the fine point tweezers and depending on the age of your child maybe a second set of hands to keep them calm and still-ish. One of the only proven methods to reduce anxiety about procedures is distraction, so this might be the time to whip out a show on the iPad. Ok, back to technique- grab the tick at the head with the fine point tweezers- pull straight out, without twisting. You want the whole thing, including the head out of there. Tiny deer ticks can be pressed/scraped off with the edge of a clean credit card. Wash the area with warm soapy water afterwards. If you don’t feel comfortable removing the tick call your provider.