When the weather breaks and kids begin spending more time outdoors, the risk of tick exposure increases. This is especially true if your child spends time playing in wooded, grassy or areas that contain tall brush. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a variety of tick-borne illnesses result from bites, including Lyme disease. If you notice a tick on your child's skin, proper removal is essential.
Step 1
Slip on a pair of rubber gloves to protect yourself during the removal process. Fill a small jar half-full with isopropyl alcohol.
Step 2
Grip a pair of tweezers firmly between your thumb and pointer finger. Grasp the tick with the tip of the tweezers. Try to grasp the tick as close to your child's skin as possible.
Step 3
Pull straight up with the tweezers, dislodging the tick from your child's skin. Drop the tick into the jar containing the isopropyl alcohol.
Step 4
Seal the jar tightly. Saturate a cotton ball with isopropyl alcohol and apply the cotton ball to the wound.
Step 5
Examine the bite site over the next few weeks. World Care explains that the bull's-eye rash that appears after the bite of a Lyme tick usually appears within seven to 10 days.
Tips and Warnings
- If the signature bull's-eye appears, visit your physician at once. Bring along the tick specimen in the jar. Identifying the tick will help with your diagnosis.
- Try to remove the entire tick in one fell swoop. Avoid crushing the tick during the removal or leaving the head behind. If the tick head remains in the skin, seek medical attention to remove it. Never apply petroleum jelly to the tick or burn the tick with a match.
Things You'll Need
- Rubber gloves
- Small jar with lid
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Tweezers
- Cotton ball
