Many bugs give us reason for pause, including poisonous spiders, chiggers, bees and lice. But few get under our skin - quite literally - like the tick. If you enjoy the outdoors, be careful of ticks -- they can attach as you brush past grass and plants. Ticks don't always carry diseases, and most bites are not serious. But they can carry diseases including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Infected ticks usually don't spread the disease until they've been attached for at least 36 hours. The first sign of infection is usually a circular skin rash. Early symptoms due to the pathogen(s) that the tick transmits during its bite may include:
Flu-like symptoms, fever, numbness, rash, confusion, weakness, pain and swelling in joints, palpitations, shortness of breath, and nausea and vomiting. Untreated Lyme disease may spread to other parts of the body, including the muscles, joints, heart, and nervous system.
The results of the illnesses transmitted by ticks often begin days to weeks after the tick is gone. That's why doctors may not suspect a tick-related illness because many people ignore or forget about barely noticeable "bites." The most important clue about any tick-related illness is to tell the physician about a tick bite. Also, the individual needs to tell their physician about outdoor activity in tick-infested areas even if the person does not remember a tick bite.
Severe fatigue unrelieved by rest, insomnia, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, impaired concentration, poor short-term memory, inability to sustain attention, difficulty thinking and expressing thoughts, difficulty reading and writing, being overwhelmed by schoolwork, difficulty making decisions and confusion.
Once a tick latches onto skin, it often moves to the warm, moist armpits and groin -- feeding on blood and passing on any disease it carries. A tick bite can also trigger an allergic reaction. If you have a tick, it is important to remove it properly and promptly. To prevent tick bites, keep your arms, legs, and head covered when outdoors. Use tick repellant with DEET. Check for ticks after spending time in grassy or wooded area. The majority of tick bites result in few, if any, immediate symptoms.
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| Ticks may cause a "bull's-eye" rash. |
Ticks are the leading carriers (vectors) of diseases to humans in the United States, second only to mosquitoes worldwide. It is not the tick bite but the toxins, secretions, or organisms in the tick's saliva transmitted through the bite that causes disease.
Lyme disease is most common among boys aged 5 to 19. Around 25 percent of all reported cases are children.
One of the biggest obstacles patients find is that their symptoms are vague at best and most often mimic other diseases and disorders. Flu-like symptoms are common, so caregivers and pediatricians may attribute the child's symptoms to another cause, such as the flu or common cold.
Effects on children
Children bitten by ticks around the head and neck are considered more vulnerable to brain and central nervous system infections.
When to Seek Medical Care
Call or see a doctor if any of these conditions exist:
- The person or child bitten by a tick exhibits any weakness, paralysis, lethargy, confusion, fever, numbness, headache, or rashes.
- The tick cannot be removed from the skin, or the head and mouth-parts remain in the skin after removal.
- Symptoms listed above persist or get worse.
- Pregnant individuals should inform their doctors of tick bites and particularly before they take any medications.
- Immunosuppressed individuals should inform their physicians of tick bites.
Go immediately to a hospital's emergency department if a tick bite causes any of the following: fever, headache, confusion, weakness or paralysis, numbness, vomiting, difficulty breathing, or palpitations.
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