necticut’s peak tick season is early Spring through mid-Fall, tick checks after any out- door activity are essential.
Tick removal
Remove a tick as soon as you no-
tice it. Use fine-tipped tweezers to firm- ly grasp the tick very close to the skin. With a steady motion, pull the tick’s body away from the skin. Then clean the skin with soap and warm water. Attempt to remove the entire tick. Avoid crushing the tick’s body. Do not be alarmed if the tick’s mouthparts remain in the skin, as the risk of transmission of the spiro- chete at this point is extremely low. Clean your skin with soap and warm water or alcohol, and then contact your physician. Don’t use petroleum jelly, a hot match or any other products to remove a tick. This will only increase the likelihood of Lyme disease or a co-infection being transmitted.
What should I do if my child
is bitten by a tick?
Remove the tick as recommended.
Contact a physician who understands the complexity of Lyme disease immediately. Lyme disease or a co-infection can be transmitted in as little as 4 hours after a bite, or much sooner if the tick is improp-
erly removed. In other words, children (and adults) should be evaluated by a phy- sician after ANY tick bite; no matter how long the tick was attached.
Does my child have
Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease and the associated co-
infections can present in a variety of ways. The key to preventing the long-term com- plications associated with these diseases is early recognition and prompt, appropri- ate treatment. Keep in mind that less than 50% of people remember a tick bite or be- ing bitten by a tick and that Lyme disease is a clinical diagnosis supported by labora- tory data. If you believe you or a loved one may have symptoms consistent with Lyme disease or a co-infection it is important to be evaluated by a physician who under- stands and deals with the complexity of these diseases on a daily basis.
Tom Moorcroft, DO practices Integrative Family Medicine, including the treatment of pediatric, adolescent and adult Lyme disease, at Origins Of Health in Glaston- bury, CT. For more information, please visit his website
www.OriginsOfHealth.com or call 860-430-9790. See ad on page 40.
www.naturalnutmeg.com
June 2010
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