[Runningmommy]

My son got a tick this weekend, so I called our Pediatrician. She said that the kind of ticks that carry Lyme disease, deer ticks, aren't in Indiana and are so little we probably wouldn't have seen it. Anyone have information on this? I just want another opinion I guess so I can relax. Thanks!

Lisa

 

[Mary]

I'm totally not trying to scare you- I don't know what type of tick is predominant in Indiana, but lyme disease is not only transimited by the deer tick. Lyme disease is a controversial disease and the medical community tends to down play it. If it were me, knowing what I know and have experienced, I would either call a lyme literate doctor and seek advice, or do some research/compile data and bring it to your doctor while requesting an early course of antibiotics.

That's just me though. Lyme disease has ruined my husband's life and he contracted it when he was a teen and was not diagnosed until about 12 years later. It wouldn't have had to be that way had he been diagnosed early on or better yet, given antibiotics after he removed the tick.

I wouldn't totally freak out, but it is certainly better to be safe than sorry.

 

[jeniferm]

I wouldn't freak out either, and maybe it's worth doing a little research, but if everyone took antibiotics every time a tick was found on their body, we'd probably have a lot more med-resistant bacteria out there!

Most ticks do not carry lyme disease, and the tick has to be embedded in the skin for 24 hours to transmit the disease according to everything I've ever read. I don't know about other ticks carrying lyme disease. Never heard that, but can't say it's not true. But it is true that the deer tick is so small that you would most likely not see it. It's not invisible, but it's about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

Certainly if your son develops a bulls-eye rash or fever, achiness, etc. lyme disease would be a prime suspicion. But if not, odds are very low that there is anything wrong. I believe they can do a blood test for lyme disease, but I have no idea how expensive it is.

There's lots of info out there on lyme disease if you do a web search. I know it can be a debilitating disease if not treated early, but fortunately it is quite rare and most ticks will not transmit it to you.

 

[moneca]

I talked to my ND yesterday about Lyme disease prevention because I don't want any chemicals coming near my dd. She told me that there is a homeopathic remedy that prevents insect bites and if you do come down with lyme disease there is a homeopathic remedy that takes care of it and it works well.