protecting my family but also my pets from these pesky creatures. Lyme disease (carried by the deer or black-legged tick) is the most common illness transmitted by ticks. Cases of Lyme disease have more than tripled in Clinton County since 2018, so it is more important than ever to be on the lookout for ticks.
5 Ways to Prevent Tick Bites:
1. Know where ticks may be lurking
a. Ticks like grassy, bushy, or wooded areas but they
also like to live on our pets.
b. Always walk in the center of trails and avoid
wooded and brushy areas with tall grass and leaf litter.
c. You don’t need to be deep in the woods to get a
tick bite, it can happen in our own backyards.
2. Apply insect repellent.
This really deserves its own blog post, but here are a few quick tips to know
before applying insect
repellent on kids:
a.
Never apply insect repellent on infants younger
than 2 months of age.
b.
Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
registered insect repellents containing, DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon
Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diolon (PMD), or 2-undecanone
i.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends
repellents should contain no more than 30% DEET when used on children (a higher
concentration does not mean more protection).
ii.
Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on
children under 3 years old.
iii.
Do not use products that combine DEET and
sunscreen, although these seem like a great idea, it can actually reduce the
effectiveness of the sunscreen and accidentally expose your kiddo to more DEET,
because the sunscreen needs to be applied more often.
3. Dress for Success
a.
Treat
clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% Permetherin. It is important to note that this should only
be applied to clothing, not to skin.
b.
Dress in light colors (it makes it easier to
spot ticks), long pants, a lightweight long sleeved shirt, socks, and closed
shoes before heading outdoors. Put hair in a ponytail and wear a broad brimmed
hat.
4. After you
come inside
a.
Check clothing, gear, and pets for ticks.
b.
Throw clothes in the dryer and tumble dry them
on high heat for 10 minutes.
c.
Bathe within
two hours after coming indoors.
5. Daily Tick Checks:
a.
Ticks are tiny and like to hide! Regardless if
you or your kids have been outside or not, check everyone’s entire body for
ticks daily, paying close attention to specific areas; under the arms, in and
around the ears, inside belly button, back of the knees, in and around the
hair, between the legs, and around the waist.
Ugh, I found a tick,
now what?!
·
First, don’t panic! The key is to remove the tick as
soon as possible. Remember - not all ticks are infected and your risk of
infection is greatly reduced if the tick is removed within the first 24-36
hours,
·
Use fine tipped tweezers to grab the tick as
close to the skin as possible,
·
Pull upward with steady, even pressure (don’t
twist or jerk the tick),
·
After removing the tick, wash the bite area and
your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water,
·
Check for symptoms. If any develop contact
your or your child’s healthcare provider right away.
For more info on ticks or how to stay safe this summer, read
our Summer
Safety Guide!
Lindsay
Dareff
Registered
Professional Nurse
Division of
Health Planning and Promotion
