Ticks and Kids

[RareBreed]

My daughter has a tick-sized mole on her scalp on the left side of her head. It's the only thing on her body that doesn't glow in the dark from being so white. When she was younger she had really, really, really thin wispy hair and you could see it. I never got used to it, and when she was 3 or 4 years old, I would still stop her when she'd run by thinking it was a tick.

Her hair is a lot thicker now, and I don't normally see that mole any more. But wouldn't you know that every time she comes inside and we go on a tick-hunt, I see that thing, and go into alert mode.

My oldest has the same thing. I don't notice it as much when his hair grows out between buzz cuts. Once he gets buzzed, I'm always pulling him over to get it checked!

 

[WesternRider]

I think this year they had a period where they were REALLY bad (a month or so ago), but I've seen less of them in the last 2 weeks.

 

[LusbyMom]

They have been TERRIBLE this year... I am pulling one off my son almost everyday. He seems to have them more than my other two kids. My dogs had them last time I took them to get groomed but Paso put some stuff on them and I haven't seen any since.

 

[daisycreek]

try using the original avon skin so soft bath oil applied before going out in the yard, mix half water half bath oil in a spray bottle.

Also works well on pets if you add some to their rinse water when you bathe them.

maybe the bugs don't like the smell... or it makes ya so slippery they can't crawl on ya!

 

[frozenrain]

I went in to be tested as a precaution within a week of removing the tick. The bruising didn't show up until a little later. It looked like I was beaten, it was all purple and black. I've been through the mill with Lyme when my daughter had it, so I'm slightly paranoid when it comes to it.

That was a good job to go and get tested. I really hope you and your daughter are feeling better.I guess it is a disease you can catch more than once.You do not get an immunity to it by having it once.

My daughter has a tick-sized mole on her scalp on the left side of her head. It's the only thing on her body that doesn't glow in the dark from being so white. When she was younger she had really, really, really thin wispy hair and you could see it. I never got used to it, and when she was 3 or 4 years old, I would still stop her when she'd run by thinking it was a tick.

Her hair is a lot thicker now, and I don't normally see that mole any more. But wouldn't you know that every time she comes inside and we go on a tick-hunt, I see that thing, and go into alert mode.

I can imagine you doing a double take everytime!


Now I did a really silly thing last week.I was picking up some laundry and I noticed a red ring on my ankle just where the tick had been . However rit did not have a red middle .Of course my mind went into alert mode. However aft er 10 mins I was I realized that I sit sometimes on the computer chair with my ankle under my backside-kind of kneeling. I had been sitting on a blanket that had had a metal popper and I had got an impression mark on my ankle.It was just such a coincidence that it had been in the same place as the tick
I might still ask for a test next time I go to docs. I guess there is no harm in having one.

 

[jwwb2000]

They are pretty terrible this year. My son is the little tick magnet of the house.

 

[bcp]

This is not true. I had a tick on me for less than 24 hours and I still wound up with Lyme. I also didn't get a "bulls eye" rash. Mine looked more like bruising, not a rash. My daughter didn't get a bulls eye either.

I know this is going to be a stupid question but,
if you know for sure it was less than 24 hours, then you must know about when it got there how come you didnt pull it off then?

as far as where they can be found, I spotted one in the copy room at work, no telling how it got there but it looked hungry, so I picked it up and tossed it on a mouthy co-worker...







seriously though, I flushed it. but I thought about tossing it on the mouthy co-worker.

 

[Christy]

I know this is going to be a stupid question but,
if you know for sure it was less than 24 hours, then you must know about when it got there how come you didnt pull it off then?

That is kind of a stupid question. Do you not look at your body parts but once every 24 hours? I pulled it off when I found it and it certainly hadn't been latched on there for more than a couple of hours at most.

 

[itsbob]

WOW, free mammograms are soooo 90's..

I'm going to start offering free tick exams..

Brazillian is probably your best defense..

Ft Knox was by far the worst place I've ever seen ticks.. I'd pull them off me by the dozens at night.

 

[Aninha]

That is kind of a stupid question. Do you not look at your body parts but once every 24 hours? I pulled it off when I found it and it certainly hadn't been latched on there for more than a couple of hours at most.

I also read that they can make your skin numb before they actually bite it! That way they don't get pulled, or scratched out right away...
My husband got Lyme disease too..
He doesn't know when he was bit. Never felt a thing until I actually saw it on him.
I am going to get myself tested and probably should get my son as well. We have an indoor/outdoor cat and he brings those things in... We are lucky that he is all white, so it's not too hard to spot them.
We put Frontline on our cat, but they still manage to hold on to the cat until he's back inside.
Thank goodness it's slowing down...

 

[DoWhat]

It's not just Lyme disease that you have to worry about.
I had lyme last year.
And I started feeling terrible again, plus I pull off ticks all the time clearing brush.
Went and got tested last week.
Dr. called this morning and the test was positive for Ehrlichiosis
CDC - Ehrlichiosis | Tickborne Rickettsial Diseases
Another type of tick borne infection.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

It's not just Lyme disease that you have to worry about.
I had lyme last year.
And I started feeling terrible again, plus I pull off ticks all the time clearing brush.
Went and got tested last week.
Dr. called this morning and the test was positive for Ehrlichiosis
CDC - Ehrlichiosis | Tickborne Rickettsial Diseases
Another type of tick borne infection.

Wow, I hope you feel better. What symptoms did you have that cauused you to get tested? Did they give you any antibiotics when you first got tested, like that website stated they should? Thanks for the info.

 

[tyky]

Am I the only one starting to get itchy reading this thread? :shrug:

 

[huntr1]

Last night I found the fourth tick on my 6 yr old daughter in the last 10 days! It was a tiny deer tick. We do a check every night after bathtime. She also had one taken off last week at school by the nurse. Has anybody else seen an increase in ticks this year?

I feel weird about sending my daughter to school with repellent on everyday but will send her with a bug band to put on her ankle whenever they go outside. She is in school until the 26th so we still have about a month of this I fear.

Friend of mine showed me a cool gadget. The Tick Key. At first I was like "No way would I buy that thing. It's a scam." Then I saw it get used. Kid had a tick, wouldn't let the parents near him with tweezers. Thought the Tick Key was cool and let them use that. Popped that sucker off like magic. I am planning to buy one next week from my friend at Cub Scout Day Camp.

 

[dn0121]

Great find, I just looked for a local retailer and they sell them at peppers pet pantry also and also Amazon has them.

 

[mkd20012001]

My husband brought in two ticks last night. I slept horrible last night after one of them was crawling on my arm in bed. The dog never brings them in its always my husband.

 

[dn0121]

I've had one on me my entire life and that was when I lived in Ohio. Im guess where we live we don't have them. Maybe it was the treatment that they put in the ground when the house was built, or the one I do every summer but I'm thankful. With 3 dogs it would be horrible if they were around.

 

[huntr1]

Great find, I just looked for a local retailer and they sell them at peppers pet pantry also and also Amazon has them.

If you want, I can give you the contact info for my friend that lives in Wildewood. She's running the camp store at the St. Mary's Cub Scout Day Camp next week, so I will be getting one from her there.

 

[dn0121]

If you want, I can give you the contact info for my friend that lives in Wildewood. She's running the camp store at the St. Mary's Cub Scout Day Camp next week, so I will be getting one from her there.

Sounds good to me.