A tick is a small, eight-legged arthropod related to spiders and scorpions. Ticks are parasitic, feeding on the blood of a larger host animal, which can include humans. Children who play in areas where ticks live are particularly prone to tick bites. Ticks are also vectors, carriers of diseases. Tick-borne illnesses can pose a serious threat to the health and well-being of both children and adults.
Habitat
Ticks are found in every state in the United States, living primarily in wooded or grassy areas, waiting for a host to happen by. Children often play in areas that ticks inhabit and they can easily and inadvertently pick up ticks on hair, clothing or shoes. The tick then senses the warmth and smell, working its way to the host's skin.
Bite
Once on the host, the tick burrows its head into the skin of the host and begins feeding. Your child may not even notice the bite, as ticks' saliva has anesthetic properties. As it feeds, the tick often triples in size as it fills with blood. It is during this time that the tick's saliva can infect your child if the tick is carrying disease.
Illnesses
Several species of tick are known to spread illnesses, such as tularemia, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease. Once you have removed a tick, watch your child for signs of illness, including headache, fever, chills, body aches, stiffness, or an unusual rash, particularly at the bite site. If your child presents with any of these symptoms, see your doctor promptly and bring along the captured tick for analysis.
Tick Removal
Take the time to examine your kids for ticks after they play outdoors. Ticks are particularly fond of dark, protected areas. Check folds in the skin, behind the ears, armpits, groin area, along the hairline and on your child's scalp. If you find a tick, remove it immediately. The Centers for Disease Control advise using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin and apply firm, straight pressure to draw it out of the skin. Wash the skin with soap and water. Once the tick has released, place it in a sealable container for future reference in case it needs to be identified. Do not try to remove a tick with petroleum jelly, a hot match, nail polish or any other product.
Prevention
When in areas that harbor ticks, have your child wear a long-sleeve shirt and long pants. It also helps to tuck pant legs in the tops of socks. To further reduce the risk of a tick bite, use a DEET pest repellent that is effective against ticks. Permethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, is effective to spray on lawns and shrubs to reduce the population of both adult and juvenile ticks. Methoprene, an insect growth inhibitor, is often used in conjunction with permethrin as a double-action treatment that kills initially, and then provides long-term protection.
