A tick is a mall brown bug that attaches to the skin and sucks
blood for 3 to 6 days. The bite is usually painless and doesn't
itch. The wood tick (or dog tick) which transmits Rocky Mountain
spotted fever and Colorado tick fever is up to 1/2 inch in size.
The deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, which transmits Lyme disease
is the size of a pinhead. ( Click
here for picture )
Removing a tick.
The simplest and quickest way to remove a wood tick is to pull
it off. Use tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin
as possible (try to get a grip on its head). Apply a steady
upward pull until it releases its grip. Do not twist the tick
or jerk it suddenly because it may break off the tick's head
or mouth parts. Do not squeeze the tweezers to the point of
crushing the tick; the secretions released may contain germs
that cause disease. If you don't have tweezers, use fingers,
a loop of thread around the jaws, or a needle between the jaws
to pull it out.
Tiny deer ticks need to be scraped off with a knife blade or
the edge of a credit card. If the body is removed but the head
is left in the skin, use a sterile needle to remove the head
(in the same way that you would remove a sliver). Apply antibiotic
ointment to the bite once.
A recent study by Dr. G.R. Needham showed that ticks do not back
out with the application of a hot match or when covered with
petroleum jelly, fingernail polish, or rubbing alcohol. Unfortunately,
ticks breathe only a few times per hour.
Preventing Tick Bites
Children and adults who are hiking in tick-infested areas should
wear long clothing and tuck the end of the pants into the socks.
Apply an insect repellent to shoes and socks. Premethrin products
are more effective than DEET products against ticks. During
the hike perform tick checks using a buddy system every 2 to
3 hours to remove ticks on the clothing or exposed skin. Immediately
after the hike or at least once a day,do a bare skin check.
A brisk shower at the end of a hike will remove any tick that
isn't firmly attached
Preventing Lyme's Disease
Because the bite is painless and doesn't itch, the child will
usually be unaware of its presence. Favorite hiding places
for ticks are in the hair so carefully check the scalp, neck,
armpit, and groin. Removing ticks promptly may prevent infection.
The risk of transmission increases with the duration of attachment.
Removing the I.scapularis tick within 36 hours after attachment
will reduce the risk of Lyme's disease. There is also data
to suggest that bites from engorged deer ticks increase the
chance of Lyme's disease infection.
Call IMMEDIATELY if:
