Am I Worrying About Nothing?

Tics are all over outdoors. Unless you see some bumps-bites in a centralized area or a rash, there is no infection or disease transmitted. That is what the doctor is going to look for. There is a test for lyme disease. There is more than one type of disease that is possible to be contracted from tics. See the below articles on sypmtoms, prevention and treatment.

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/usr/jake/mosaic/lyme...

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/infec...

I wouldn't worry too much unless there is a rash. We live on a wooded lot. Each of us get approx. 5-10 ticks a year on our bodies. They tend to go for lighter haired kids from what I was told growing up--thats definitly us! Just remember to check reguarly, especially on the scalp and behind the ears. We do whole body checks in the shower. We check once a month in the winter and fall months, and each and every day we are out in the woods in spring and summer. They are just coming out of the ground now and it's a big time of year for ticks. Just keep your eyes pealed and you will be fine!

Lyme disease isn't that common. Just be on the lookout for a 'bull's eye' rash. Most ticks that carry it are deer ticks - those are the tiny ones that are next to impossible to see. If the tick you saw was a larger one (pencil eraser size) then the chances of it carrying lyme disease is small. Also, it can take 12-24 hours or longer for it to be transferred from the tick to your body so you have time on your side, too.

In the future do NOT use alcohol. It just agitates the tick and they end up regurgitating and so if they are still attached/partly inside when they do that you end up with that put inside your body. That does increase the chances, and speeds up the process, of transferring lyme disease. Fire does the same thing... basically anything that agitates the tick and makes them upset.

Yep, you have little to worry about. Keep an eye on her for anything unusual, but I hang out with horses and dogs and have dealt with my share of ticks. They are nasty but 99% of the time harmless.

Did you keep the tick? My daughter had one in her hair last summer bit it was a wood tick from WV. The doctor said not to worry and that the tick had not gorged itself. I have 2 dear friends with lyme disease and it has been a nightmare with them. I would go to a good doctor just to make sure. Lyme disease is still a very unknown disease, It is still misdiagnosed. My friend's daughter never had a rash and it took them 3 months to diagnose her because they are limited on accurate lab tests. She has been sick for 3 years and it has been a rough journey for them. Better to be safe than sorry. Even President Bush was given an antibiotic to be sure when he had a tick.

YES!!! Just watch her. Most ticks don't carry Lyme disease. In fact, I think it's really only one kind that carries it. Most of the time ticks are harmless. Icky, but harmless. Of course, if you notice anything unusual, call the doctor, but chances are she'll be fine.

I believe the only tick that carries lyme disease is the dear tick. You can watch the area and if a read ring appears around the bite, take your daughter to the pediatrician. If you are too freaked out now, take her now and have her tested for the disease or at least have the ped look at the bite.

I wouldn't worry about a thing, unless you see a rash or she starts feeling ill. We are outdoors a lot and we go thru this at least once a year. The easiest way to get rid of them is to put dish soap on a dry cotton ball them put the cotton ball on the tick, old it there for about a minute. When you remove the cotton ball, the tick will come with it. Don't freak out mom; your daughter will be afraid to go outside fearing that something might happen to her.

Good Luck

L......Lyme disease is caused from a deer tick. It is so small that you can barely see it with the naked eye. The person gets a rash or a red circle around the tick and you have about 2 days to see the doctor before it becomes a real problem.

There are other things you can get from ticks, so just watch if she were to have a fever and not feel good, then I would take her to the doctor. Don't worry, I get ticks all the time living on a farm. M. B.

Hi L.! I wouldn't worry that much about it. Like the nurse said, watch for a rash (and it's an obvious rash too). Other possible signs are flu-like symptoms. Most people that have a tick don't get Lyme disease. If you are one of the few that do, it is treatable with antibiotics. Webmd.com is a great resource if you wanted to read up about it a little. Good luck L.!

My son had a tick last year. They are pretty common. Just relax and watch the area for a rash or if she gets a fever. Everything will be fine. One year our entire girl scout troop had ticks from hiking and laying on the ground by a lake. We were all fine.

Stop worrying about it. It happens all the time. Just observe for redness. Take her to the Dr if you want to.

I have three boys and the are always outside at my parents house out in the country. They get ticks all the time, We just put the tick in a baggy, and sometimes take a marker and circle the bite so we know where to look and what area to watch. Good luck!

Hi L.,

You probably needn't be overly concerned about Lyme disease. Just watch the area for a rash. However, it's always a good idea to save the tick for identification.

Also, people should be aware that there are other diseases ticks carry:
http://www.columbia-lyme.org/patients/tick_borne.html
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znbarton.asp
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znehrlichiosis.asp
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znehrlic.asp
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znqfever.asp
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znrockymountain.asp
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znrmsfvr.asp
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/znticpar.asp
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/zntularemia.asp

These diseases are uncommon, but probably under-diagnosed. Anybody who suffers from migraines, chronic fatigue, myalgia, and other symptoms (see links above) for which diagnosis has been elusive and treatment has not been successful should consider the possibility of an infection with a tick-borne disease.

I had one when I was younger, about 10 I think, found it after a weekend of camping. My grandpa being an avid fisherman & hunter has come across a few in his lifetime so he took care of it, Chigger-rid (I know I'm misspelling that) tweezers and alchol. I'm sure you made sure to pull it completely out? I would just watch the spot, mine was fine. IF it ever happens again, the chigger rid actually made him back out of my head. Good luck, and I wouldn't worry.

Because we live in a rural (woods and fields) area, my boys get ticks on them all the time. You don't have to worry if the tick you pulled off your daughter is 1) a dog tick (deer ticks are the ones that carry Lyme Disease), and 2) a dog tick that is still flat (they get bloated when they've been on the person or animal for a long period of time).

As a precaution, in the future, it doesn't hurt to dab some rubbing alcohol on the bite mark after you pull out a tick. Be sure you've pulled out the tick's mouth part too...you should see some of your daughter's skin on the mouth if you did it properly.

You can Google dog and deer ticks to see a size reference to know for sure what kind of tick it was. And definitely take her to the doctor if she develops a bulls-eye rash.

(BTW, this site didn't show that you had any responses to your question until after I posted my reply, so it's probably redundant info now...sorry.)