I am not a bug person so last week when I found a tick on my 2.5 yr old's head I screamed - and scared the *** out of her. My wonderful day care provider who lives only 2 blocks away told me to bring her over and she took care of it (we were getting ready and going there anyway). Now today she had another one. I didn't scream this time, but I can't do this - they creep me out!
We think that they are coming from my day care provider's trees. She said her dogs get them and sometimes the kids might pick one up since they play outside as much as possible.
I don't know what I can do to get them off my daughter. Apparently they think she is delicoius! We do use a detangler in her hair every morning - could they like it? What can we use that is safe around her? I know that Deet is the best but not the safest with kids - any suggestions would be great! I've read that marigolds are great bug repelers but I can't plant them at my daycare.
Try a shampoo with tea tree oil in it. Ticks don't like it and hopefully it will keep them away! Good Luck!
Ticks are every where outside. usually they are in the more wooded areas but that's not always the case. our yard is treeless and we keep the grass mowed down. Last week my son had a tick on him also. When my son had a tick on him a couple of years ago we took him to the dr and they pulled it out of his head with a tweezers and asked us why we just didn't do that at home? he said as long as you are at the very base of the tick/skin connection and wiggle the tick a little as you are very slowly pulling it out it will loosen up and pull out, head and all. as for things to use to keep the ticks away im not sure if there is one that works other than something with deet in it. my hubby cuts trees along the power lines for the power company and is in the woods all day everyday and that is the only thing they have found to keep them away.
Just watch and make sure that it doesn't have a red spot around it before taking it out (after words ther will be one that goes away with in a few mins) if you notice it take your daughter and the tick (make sure you have the tick!) to the dr right away to be tested. they will probally tell you that they don't test the ticks anymore.. make them! my 11 year old had one like that when he was 2 and we took him in and had them remove the deer tick and test the deer tick for lymes. the tick was positive and he was not. they said its always best to test the tick because its not always present in a person right away and the sooner they get the anitbotic in them the better. plus once a person has lymes they will always have it in thier system even if no signs turn up from being caught early (like with my son). but he has had another tick on him a couple of years ago and i took the tick in to test they said they don't do it anymore they wait for signs of it first... i demanded they test the tick since they can't test him... it will always be positive with him. they tested the tick and it also was positive so they got him started on antibotics before any noticable signs turned up and anymore damage could be done to his little body.
Hi Stephany,
This is funny that this came up. I was just talking to one of my friends about this yesterday.
I don't believe in using DEET products on children or myself or my pets! If you were to put a clove of garlic in between your toes, within twenty minutes you can start to taste the garlic!
Our skin is the largest organ of our body. Absorbtion & inhalation are a big cause of most health problems today.
We use a concoction for ourselves & our pets.
We take two Melaleuca products, mix them together and lather it on. for the dogs, we use just one product, we take a sponge, cut it up and let the sol-u-mel absorb into the sponge, put it into a hanky and wrap it around it's neck.
Works like a charm.
For info let me know.,
J.
I am not real sure what would keep them off of her, but the best way to get them to let go is to thoroughly coat them with vaseline. This suffocates them and they die and release their grip. After a couple of minutes, you just take a klenex and lift them off. They are creepy, but you will likely deal with many of them so you might as well learn how.
Don't ever squeeze them or force them off if they are attached. Bad things happen when you do that.
First, I'd have a bone to pick with your daycare provider! She seems awful unconcerned about the safety and health of the kids. Maybe she needs to do something about it like mow her lawn or find a safe natural remedy for her yard before letting the kids get exposed to the possibility of contracting Lyme Disease. I'd also keep a close eye on her pets if she has any, because they too can be a source of the problem. They can even track them into her house, and carpet and furniture can harbor them.
By the way, ticks might hang out in trees, but more than likely, the kids are getting exposed to the ticks somewhere very grassy, or wooded. The natural habit for a tick, especially deer ticks is primarily a heavily wooded lot, or along the banks of a lake or pond where you'd find tallgrasses, willows and bullrushes, and especially in old woodpiles and dried brush. So if your daycare provider has any of these mentioned situations, I'd recommend that she keep the kids away to cut down on chances of getting more ticks.
Lyme Disease is a horrible illness and can be very serious for young children and the very old. I know 3 people who have had it, and for all 3 of them it was debilitating to say the least! All three (friends who got it in three separate instances) were hospitalized. One of the three still suffers from recurring/chronic symptoms (fibromyalgia/arthritis type symptoms), and has been told by doctors he will not ever fully recover. He actually has to take weeks off at a time from work when he has a flair up. Since he's in his 60's, I wonder if age has something to do with his ability to rebound from it. The other two friends are in their 30's. My husband's best friend got it deer hunting, and one of my girlfriend's got it camping.
As for ways to remove ticks...DON'T EVER PULL A TICK OUT OF YOUR SKIN!! They leave their heads when you do, and are then able to continue to release toxins into your blood stream. This would be really bad if this was a Lyme Disease carrying deer tick.
Ticks aren't attracted by perfumy smells. They are blood-suckers and will feast whereever they can. If left long enough, they can double in size after feeding well. Shampoos, hot water, combing and brushing will not remove ticks. One better way to remove a tick is to pour isopropyl alcohol(regular old rubbing alcohol--very cheap at $1 at the local pharmacy) on them. They can't take the burn, and will on their own release and fall off.
A more dangerous but most definitely not the best idea for little kids, is a tried and true remedy traditionally used by your mostly rough and tumble hunter, camper or serious outdoorsman, is to light a small bundle of wood matches and quickly put them out. While still smoking and hot, place the flint tips on the backs of the ticks. They will usually instantly release. If not, just hold the hot tip on its back until it turns ashen, curls, dies and fall off.
I agree with another poster. DEET is bad stuff, especially for kids. While it is effective on insects, its equally effective on us. "OFF!" now carries a homeopathic/deet-free repellent with a citranella base which claims to repel ticks.
Last but not least, if you notice a red bullseye ring around or near where your child has been bitten, I'd get them checked immediately, as this is one of the first symtoms of Lyme Disease. Also keep an eye open for fever, or complaints of achey joints or an inability to move muscles freely.
Oh yeah...ticks like to hangout in dark, moist places. And they range in size from being as big as a dime (if they've been feeding well to the size of the tip of a sharpened pencil) They often go undetected because of this. Since your daughter is outside so much, I'd check her thouroughly from head to toe everyday. That means her inner ears, armpits, ankles/between toes, and especially the diaper area.
