Ticks
Ticks are back! And they're everywhere!
Lyme disease has become very common in the Metrowest area.
During
the
warm weather season, we see Lyme disease every week in our
office.
Here's what you need to
know about preventing Lyme disease:
(Click
here for details from the CDC web site.)
The chances of getting
Lyme disease are extremely small if the tick is removed in less than 24
hours. If you find a tick on your child, remove
it immediately. It is often difficult to remove the entire tick. If a
small part of the tick remains embedded in the skin, that is okay.
There is no longer a risk of transmission of disease once the tick is
dead. Clean the area well with soap and water. If there is part of the
tick remaining in the skin, apply antibiotic ointment regularly and
watch for signs of local infection. There is no need to save
the tick. If the tick has been present for less than 24
hours, or if it is not a deer tick, the risk of Lyme disease is almost
zero. If the deer tick has been present for more than 24
hours, watch your child closely over the next several weeks for the
early symptoms of Lyme disease. The first symptom is almost
always a rash at the bite site, but the rash does not develop for
several days after the bite.
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