Found tick on 2 year old :( - Page 2

[Adaline'sMama]

From what I understand, it takes ticks about two days to become engorged. I think its likely that the tick had a hard time latching on, so it moved all over trying to find a good spot.

[sunnygir1]

There are lots of kinds of ticks, and they all look different at different phases.  What you describe sounds like what I call a bear tick.  I don't know if they carry Lyme or not.  I wish I could help you more with the identification, but looking at some websites I don't even see one that looks like what you describe, except maybe the male deer tick -- but do they even bite?  I have seen tiny, all dark brown ticks, but they don't show up on the websites I saw.

I'm sure they can get blood out of the ear...dd's bled when my brother removed it from her ear.

The rash, apparently, can appear on any part of the body...if it does appear, and may not appear at the site of the bite.

I also haven't heard of small children getting Lyme.  Everyone I know who's had it is an adult.  Not sure if that's just my experience or if it is less common for children to get infected?

When my sister got sick, she had a high fever for 8 days before her diagnosis.  My step dad just had it, and he had a fever and on the 4th day when he kept feeling worse he went in; I don't think he even had the rash.  My brother had the rash, but I don't think he ever got a fever -- he had been feeling tired and run down, though.

Best of luck.

[Toposlonoshlep]

I think bear ticks ARE deer ticks. It's just another name for the black-footed guys. But, after looking at them more closely, I know for a fact that it wasn't a nymph (which would have been more translucent and the size of a poppy seed). It must have been a male deer tick, which would make it all-black and the size of a sesame seed, and both of those fit to a tee. This also would explain it latching onto his cartilage. The males latch on not to feed but to find a female. They also don't spread disease....

Maybe I am just trying to make myself feel better, but this is all adding up.

Thanks brilliant mamas for your info!
 

Originally Posted by sunnygir1 

There are lots of kinds of ticks, and they all look different at different phases.  What you describe sounds like what I call a bear tick.  I don't know if they carry Lyme or not.  I wish I could help you more with the identification, but looking at some websites I don't even see one that looks like what you describe, except maybe the male deer tick -- but do they even bite?  

[belltree]

The rash can appear later. I personally never thought that the bite itself hurt (and I've had quite my share of ticks, without ever having lyme disease). It might be harder to diagnose on little children. This seems to be an intense season around here.

[snoopy5386]

My now 5 yo had Lyme when she was 3. I found a deer tick in her armpit and about 5 days later she developed a high fever, was lethargic, etc. DH had just had a virus so I thought she had caught what he had, but I took her to the doctor anyways. We did the lyme test at 10 days after we removed the tick and it was positive. She never developed the bull's eye rash, but she had Lyme.

Take him in.

[JordanKX]

Originally Posted by 1blueheron 

If you live in an area with Lyme (see map here)  I would definitely consider a call to the pediatrician.

So..... if, going by this map, I'm in an area that says "NONE", would you believe that? The idea of going to the Ped for a tick just seems so foreign. It's never even crossed my mind, maybe because we live in a NONE area and so it's never in the news or discussed in playgroups or what have you. This is a totally new idea to me. Again, 3 ticks on the kiddo so far this year and it's not even warm yet?

[eli's mama]

I don't know about how long it takes to become engorged but I would go with what you said about when your dc felt the pain, it was likely the bite that he felt.  It does hurt!  

I just wanted to respond about the rash.  My ds was bitten on his penis (poor child) but the rash was on his upper thigh, so be watchful for any rash, any where.  not just in the place where he was bitten, and do check under his hair as well.

[1blueheron]

Originally Posted by JordanKX 

So..... if, going by this map, I'm in an area that says "NONE", would you believe that? 

If I lived in an area marked "NONE" I would jump for joy and spend all day outdoors in heedless abandon.  :)

Lyme has gradually spread from Connecticut to other places, but chances are very good you're totally fine in the "none" zone and can forget about it unless you travel.

For the OP - one of the reasons I'd call my ped is because he's very tuned into Lyme symptoms and can offer input and advice about what to look for, and we could discuss a course of action.  If your dr is not as familiar with Lyme, it might not be as helpful, and it may just be up to you to keep a watchful eye.  I know people with chronic Lyme and it's beyond awful what it does to a person.  I have had dozens and dozens of bites and never gotten it (not all deer ticks carry Lyme and I usually get them off right away), but we are all super alert to the possibility here.  Best of luck and hope it doesn't deter you from enjoying the outdoors.

[Toposlonoshlep]

Thanks for sharing your story. Sounds awful and I'm glad your daughter is ok! Was the tick engorged when you removed it? How long was it on? Was it a female tick (with a brown butt) or a nymph (tiny)? The reason I have not yet taken him in is that it was definitely a male tick, which doesn't carry Lyme, or truly suck blood. They bite and attach, but don't transmit. I will definitely watch for signs of Lyme and take him in at the first sign, but I am starting to get the impression from the responses that it is not likely he was infected. If I take him in, the ped will put him on 3 weeks of abx, which is not ok with me pre-emptively....

Originally Posted by snoopy5386 

My now 5 yo had Lyme when she was 3. I found a deer tick in her armpit and about 5 days later she developed a high fever, was lethargic, etc. DH had just had a virus so I thought she had caught what he had, but I took her to the doctor anyways. We did the lyme test at 10 days after we removed the tick and it was positive. She never developed the bull's eye rash, but she had Lyme.

Take him in.

[sosurreal09]

I know a 6 y/o girl who got Lyme and didn't get the abx (IDK what the circumstances are around that) anyways she has had it a few years now and it's affecting her heart and causing seizures on/off. IDK the whole story though on why she can't get tx or w/e but I know she is constantly in the hospital.

Hope your little guy is fine. IDK too much about ticks just that they are bad lol

[sunnygir1]

Originally Posted by JordanKX 

So..... if, going by this map, I'm in an area that says "NONE", would you believe that? The idea of going to the Ped for a tick just seems so foreign. It's never even crossed my mind, maybe because we live in a NONE area and so it's never in the news or discussed in playgroups or what have you. This is a totally new idea to me. Again, 3 ticks on the kiddo so far this year and it's not even warm yet?

Consider yourself lucky.  We live in a red zone.  : (

[belltree]

Ticks can carry a variety of diseases. Lyme is just one of them. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is another. If you live in an area where the map does not indicate lyme, other illnesses might be there. Be informed and watch for symptoms, but don't overreact.