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Shine Magazine

Tick bite

Main symptoms:

A tick (small brown bug) is attached to the skin.
A tick recently was removed from the skin.
The wood tick (dog tick) is the size of a watermelon seed and can sometimes transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Colorado tick fever .
The deer tick is between the size of a poppy seed (pin head) and an apple seed, and can sometimes transmit Lyme disease.
The bite is painless and doesn't itch; so ticks may go unnoticed for a few days.
Ticks eventually fall off on their own after sucking blood for three to six days.
If you don't think it is a tick bite, see insect bite.

Call your doctor now (night or day) if:

Your child looks or acts very sick.
You can't remove the tick.
You can't remove tick's head that broke off in the skin. Note: if the removed tick is moving, it was completely removed.
Widespread rash occurs two to 14 days following the bite.
Fever or severe headache occurs two to 14 days following the bite.
Bite looks infected (red streaking from the bite area, yellow drainage). Note: infection doesn't start until at least 24-48 hours after the bite.

Call your doctor within 24 hours (during regular office hours) if:

You think your child needs to be seen.
Red-ring or bull's eye rash occurs around a deer tick bite (Lyme disease rash begins three to 30 days after the bite).
Probable deer tick and it was attached for more than 24 hours, or the tick appears swollen, not flat.

Call your doctor during office hours if:

You have other questions or concerns.

Parent care at home if:

Tick bite with no complications and you don't think your child needs to be seen.

Home care advice for tick bites:

1. Reassurance: Most tick bites are harmless. The spread of disease by ticks is rare.

2. Tick removal: Use a tweezers and grasp the wood tick close to the skin (on its head). Pull the wood tick straight upward without twisting or crushing it. Maintain a steady pressure until it releases its grip. If tweezers aren't available, use fingers, a loop of thread around the jaws, or a needle between the jaws for traction. Tiny deer ticks need to be scraped off with a knife blade or credit card edge. Note: Covering the tick with petroleum jelly, nail polish, or rubbing alcohol doesn't work. Neither does touching the tick with a hot or cold object.

3. Tick's head: If the wood tick's head breaks off in the skin, remove it. Clean the skin with rubbing alcohol. Use a sterile needle to uncover the head and lift it out. If unsuccessful, call your doctor.

4. Antibiotic ointment: Wash the wound and your hands with soap and water after removal to prevent catching any tick disease. Apply antibiotic ointment to the bite once.

5. Prevention: When hiking in tick-infested areas, wear long clothing and tuck the ends of pants into socks. Apply an insect repellent to shoes and socks. Permethrin products applied to clothing are more effective than deet products against ticks. See insect bites for more details.

Expected course:

Tick bites normally don't itch or hurt. That's why they often go unnoticed.

Call your doctor if:

You can't remove the tick or the tick's head.
Fever or rash in the next two weeks.
Bite begins to look infected.
Your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.