How to keep your kids safe from ticks

Be on the lookout for ticks on your kids and pets, now through October.

Summer fun means more time outside, which means more exposure to ticks. This season runs from May-October, and for many parents, can cause anxiety. How do you protect your child from ticks? What do you if your child is bitten? Dr. Natalie Jedacek, pediatrician at Akron Children’s Pediatrics in Medina, shares tick-related tips.

“Ticks can look like black dots on the skin,” she said. “It’s important to remove a tick before it becomes engorged, which means filled with blood.” 

How to remove a tick

• Use tweezers to grab the tick as close to the skin as possible. Don’t use things like petroleum jelly or turpentine or try to burn the tick off.
• Gently pull the tick upward. If you abruptly jerk the tick, its head can remain in the skin.
• Once the tick is removed, clean the area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. 

When and how to check your child for ticks

Dr. Jedacek recommends checking your child for ticks when they come in from outside activities if you live in an area where ticks are in high numbers. “Start from the top of your child’s head, and move down toward their toes,” she explained. “Look in their hair and on their scalp – and remove clothing as needed to really get a good inspection of your child’s skin.”

Another option is to dress your child in long sleeves and pants if they’re going hiking or will spend time in grassy fields. Remember to check your pets for ticks, too, if they go outdoors. 

What to do if your child is bitten by a tick

If you remove a tick from your child, check its size. “If the tick is smaller than the size of an eraser head, it’s more likely to be a deer tick that is associated with Lyme disease,” Dr. Jedacek shared. “Dog ticks are much bigger.”

After you remove the tick and clean the area, you’ll want to monitor your child for symptoms of infectious disease. Symptoms can include:

• A rash in the shape of a bullseye
• Headache
• Chills
• Fever
• Joint pain
• Fatigue
• Swollen lymph nodes

If your child develops symptoms, or you’re concerned about their exposure to ticks, visit your pediatrician. An antibiotic may be considered if:

1. The tick is confirmed or suspected to be an engorged deer tick that has been attached for more than 36 hours or Ixodes scapularis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), offer tools to help you identify tick types.
2. Your child lives or has traveled to an endemic area/county. Again, check the CDC or ODH websites for details.
3. You seek medical care for your child within 72 hours of tick removal.

“It’s always important to follow up with the provider if you have any questions,” Dr. Jedacek recommended, “and monitor your child for symptoms.”