Caution: Those minuscule ticks can latch onto skin without anyone noticing.
In a shocking post on Facebook, mom Lila Jennings revealed a disconcerting sight—seven nearly invisible ticks that had made their home on her son’s neck without anyone realizing. “Would you have noticed these ticks?” she asked her followers. “My son had 7 on him! To the untrained eye, they look like mere specks of dirt or freckles. #lymediseaseawareness.”
Upon close inspection, those sneaky ticks resembled tiny black dots, and only a keen eye would catch the faint sight of their legs. Lila’s post garnered over 12,000 shares and sparked hundreds of comments, many recounting their own unsettling tick encounters.
The significance of this story cannot be overstated, especially considering the dangers of Lyme disease. According to the CDC, around 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported annually. Symptoms can range from fatigue and fever to rashes and, if left untreated, can lead to severe complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system.
To minimize the risk of tick bites, it’s crucial to take preventive measures. This includes using EPA-registered insect repellents, sticking to the center of hiking trails, and avoiding tall grass. Once you’re back indoors, perform a thorough tick check—don’t forget to look under arms, in ears, around the belly button, and even in hair. It’s equally important to check your pets, especially around their ears, tails, and between their toes.
So, what should you do if you discover ticks on your kids? One method is to moisten a cotton ball with warm soapy water and place it on the tick. When you remove the cotton ball, the tick should ideally come off with it. If that fails, grab a pair of tweezers, and carefully grip the tick by its head or mouth before pulling it out. You might want to keep the tick in a jar and take it to your child’s pediatrician to determine if it carries Lyme disease.
Lila explained to her readers that May is Lyme disease awareness month. She discovered the ticks on her son after he played in the leaves at his grandparents’ house. “I’m trained to spot them since my husband used to work in brush cutting, and I would regularly check him,” she shared. “Even though he no longer does that work, we still encounter ticks every year. They’re usually rare in our residential area, but my son picked one up while herding chickens back into our yard.”
Unfortunately, the current weather conditions have contributed to a rise in tick populations. “It’s not too cold, not too dry, and not too wet—just the right conditions for ticks,” noted research associate Susan Elias. “They thrive in this drizzly, overcast weather.” Here’s hoping for a scorching summer ahead!
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In summary, vigilance is key when it comes to ticks, especially with the rising cases of Lyme disease. Regular checks and preventive measures can go a long way in keeping your family safe.
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