Come summer and kids go crazy either in the pool or in the yard or gardens. Sometimes its a long walk in the woods to pick berries or mushrooms. While its only fair that they run around in shorts to beat the heat, it’s equally necessary to be prepared for ticks on them.
Ticks carry germs that cause Lyme disease. Usually, its best to spray yourself, your clothes, and children with a tick spray. These are easily available in the Medical or Drug stores.
Ticks usually live in grassy mouldy areas when there is warm weather. Humidity is another factor that increases ticks. So if your kids play football, and especially if it rains, it’s important to have them checked each time they are home after a game!
Where should you check for ticks?
Ticks usually attach themselves to clothes, socks and shoes. So it’s important to make sure that everything is washed properly in hot water after kids return from a game.
It’s also important to check the kids well all over their body for ticks. But some hidden or warmer parts of our body are more prone to help ticks thrive:
1 Under the arms
2 Behind the ears
3 Between the toes
4 Between the legs (groin)
5 Back of the neck area below the hair
6 Belly button
7 Behind the knees
What should you do when you find a tick?
If you find a tick, try and pull it out carefully with the help of tweezers. It’s important to pull out the whole tick. Then watch for a few days to see if the skin develops a rash or fever. If you are unable to pull the tick out, visiting a doctor is the best solution.
Also, make sure to wash all the clothes worn by the child in hot water and tumble dry it on high heat.
For more information on ticks, the diseases they carry and immunizations, check out this article.