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The warm weather, high grass and plenty of time outdoors are the great experiences of spring and summer, but it is also combined with a higher exposure to ticks and possible disease. We give you the ins and outs of how to protect your child this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Know the ticks and Lyme disease

Ticks are not insects, but related to bed mites and spiders. They start off as larvae, feeding on mice or birds, and will later develop into ticks who will feed on larger animals. Ticks are about the size of a sesame seed, less than 2 mm, when they attach to the skin and will grow as they feed.

Ticks can bear the bacterial infection Borreliosis, also called Lyme disease, which can be confirmed by a special blood test. Symptoms may be non-existent or mild, similar to a flu, but in rare cases it can also cause long term complications for joints, heart, eyes and the nervous system. The HSE estimates between 50-100 Irish cases per year, but is probably higher as it is not a notifiable disease. The infection is primarily treated by a course of oral antibiotics and is considered easily treatable in the early stages of infection.

The infection is transferred from the tick to animal or human when the tick feeds on the blood, but a tick will have to be attached for hours to cause the infection. Ticks are an issue all year round, but the tick season is normally marked between April and October.

Because the tick secretes anaesthesia, you will probably not feel it bite or attach to your skin.

What to do

Make sure to take a note of when you or your child was bitten by a tick and if a rash appears take a picture of it. The most common symptom is the "bulls-eye" rash, which spreads out from the bite. It develops between three days to a month after the bite. Talk to your healthcare provider, if you have developed flu-like symptoms 1-4 weeks after a tick bite.

Children under ten years of age tend to be bitten on the head or neck, but check all skin folds such as armpits, back of the knees, groin and behind the ears.

You can use insect repellent with, with 20%-30% DEET or Permethrin on clothes. You will find Permethrin in well stocked camping shops, as it is quite strong it cannot be applied directly onto the skin. Clothing with a shiny surface will make it difficult for ticks to cling on to the clothes. You can also put the clothes in a hot dryer, which will kill off remaining ticks.

As pets will often bring ticks into the home and can also get sick, make sure you get tick repellent or tick collars for them.

Ticks thrive in warm humidity. High grass lets them easily attach onto a host, so keep your lawns short and trim back trees and hedges to let sun and air in on humid and shaded areas. Ticks can survive for months without food.

Irish hotspots for ticks

If you are on outings or live in counties Kerry, Galway, Wicklow and Connemara you need to be more alert to ticks, as the Borreliosis is carried by ticks in these areas. Other counties to be alert in are Kilkenny, Kildare, Cork and Mayo. Studies done on Lyme disease rates in Europe mark Ireland as having one of the highest numbers of cases.

 

Safety for children

• Dress your child in long pants, preferably tucked into the socks or boots, and long sleeves.
• Do not wear sandals in areas with woods, high grass or overgrown vegetation.
• Check your child's clothes and skin thoroughly for ticks if you he has been outdoors or close to pets and other animals.
• Wear light coloured clothing, making it easier to spot ticks.
• Eating garlic and rosemary may deter ticks.
• Keep the grass short in your garden, even on the edges and by hedges.
• Check your pets and use tick repellent sprays or collars on them.
• Prune back hedges and trees, to avoid humid patches.
• Use insect repellent on the skin or clothes.

 

How to remove a tick

• Remove the tick gently with sharp tweezers or a tick twister as soon as you spot it. Pinch the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward when pulling it out.
• If any parts of the tick are left behind, remove as much as possible with tweezers. These bits can cause a secondary infection.
• Clean the bitten area with an antiseptic wipe.
• Take a note of the date of the bite and check the skin for a rash over the next few weeks.

 

Do not:

• Pinch the tick's body. It will cause it to regurgitate its stomach contents.
• Do not freeze, burn or smother (with Vaseline, butter, nail varnish or spirits) the tick. You may get it off but it can again cause it to regurgitate.

For more information see Tick Talk Ireland.

If you have any worries or concerns about your child's health contact your health provider immediately.