Tick bites

[joeslittlewoman]

Originally Posted by weesej Not true!! In areas Lyme is endemic nearly all ticks carry it and or some other tick-bourne disease. I live in an area where tick diseases are actually quite common and dramatically rising. It looks like you live in an area where Lyme is luckily not as common, although still reported.....it is spreading in your direction though. Lyme is endemic in the NE and in Atlantic and also in Wisconsin..radiating outwards. It has been reported in all 50 states. Here is a map of Lyme cases: http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/stats/maps/interactiveMaps.html About Lyme and related symptoms: http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/about_lyme.html

I always wondered why people on tv living in the NE freaked out about ticks. I always figured they had just never seen one. Interesting maps.

[cmarsh31]

Upstate NY here (definitely a very high risk area - right in the dark blue) - pulled a tick off of DS in the fall. Our ped immediately put him on abx and luckily the tick was intact. We were able to send the tick for testing (as opposed to having him get the blood test which is less than reliable). Tick came back negative and we stopped abx. We were VERY relieved to be able to test the tick, without it, we would have been looking at a 2 month course of abx.

[sandrc]

I never heard back from the nurse today. I'll call again tomorrow. The one behind her ear is still red and she said both still hurt. I did keep both ticks.

[bigmamakelsey]

DS1 had 3 tick bites on his neck and we never found the actual ticks, so we took him in. They were from deer ticks, and she said deer ticks (or maybe just the ones in our area?) do not carry lyme disease.

[Christylkeller]

We get ticks all the time here. Ours are Lone Star ticks and rarely cause disease, but can cause infection if not properly cared for. I have NEVER taken any of us in for ABX for tick bites, and if I did, we would be on them for most of the year. Tick bites can be painful, but in my experience itching was more prominent... like really bad itching!

I think you did the right thing is removing them and cleaning the area. Just keep watching. Usually the bite will last a couple of weeks and be itchy during that time, although, I imagine behind the ear would be pretty tender and the belly to be very itchy.

And, if it would help ease your concerns, then you should DEFINITELY take her to be checked out!

Be easy on her dad! They don't see things the same way we do. I think it is great that he took her camping and made some memories with her. That is what is important! And he did keep her safe. Getting bit is just part of life... even tick bites! And in my experience, I have yet to find a SAFE bug spray that keeps ticks away!

[MamaNae]

Tick bites are no joke. I got bit by a tick 3 or 4 years ago and got the bulzeye rash. I wasn't aware I'd been bit until I got the rash. I had to be on antibiotics for 30 days and I've been tested multiple times for Lyme. Thankfully the antibiotics worked well and I never actually got Lymes Disease.

I would go into the dr and watch her really closely.

In Iowa it's Deer Ticks that carry lymes, Wood Ticks (the bigger brown ones, Deer ticks are itty bitty) don't carry Lymes. I'm on register with the Infectious Disease and everything as being treated for Lymes. Tick bites can get very scary and cause life long ramifications. Lymes doesn't go away once it's taken hold of your body, you can only kill it in the very beginning with lots and lots of antibiotics.