How to Remove a Tick and Tick Bite Prevention
/The Northeast region of the U.S. has one of the highest rates of tick bites. However, that doesn't mean your family has to stay indoors for the few glorious months of Northeastern summer. With the proper prevention techniques and tick knowledge, you can enjoy nature with your children safely.
Tick facts
Ticks do not fly or jump.
Ticks can carry diseases, including Lyme disease.
Applying bug spray containing DEET, wearing protective clothing, and performing tick checks after time outdoors can protect your child from tick-borne diseases.
If your child gets bitten by a tick, there is a low risk of Lyme disease transmission if the tick has been attached for less than 36 hours.
Tick bite prevention
There are many ways families can protect against tick bites.
Wear long clothing when hiking in tick-heavy areas. Tuck the ends of pants into socks.
Use bug spray with DEET on uncovered skin before venturing out. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, DEET can be used safely for children ages 2 months and up.
You can use 10% DEET on infants older than 2 months to age 2 years. You can use 30% DEET for children and teens.
DEET can last up to 6 hours before you need to reapply, though lower concentrations may last for shorter periods. For example, 10% DEET protects for 2 hours.
Apply 0.5% permethrin on clothes for tick repellent. Apply to areas most likely for ticks to latch on, such as shoes, socks, and pants cuffs. You can also apply it to camping gear like sleeping bags or backpacks. Follow directions for applying tick repellant, including applying it in a ventilated area and hanging items to dry.
Checking for ticks after time outdoors
Check your child for ticks, especially after spending time in wooded areas or a tick-heavy location. You'll even want to do a quick tick check after your children play outside in your own backyard. Jumping in the shower within 2 hours of being outdoors is another good way to help wash off unnoticed ticks.
Where to check for ticks
Look behind the ears, around the hairline, in the armpits, and in the belly button. Check behind the knees, on the legs, in the groin area, and between the toes. Ticks can be small and look similar to a freckle.
Check your clothes and gear for ticks. To kill ticks, tumble dry clothes on low in a dryer for 10 minutes or so, or wash clothes in hot water.
What do you do if you find a tick?
If you find a tick on your child's skin, remove it with fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady and even pressure to remove the tick. Do not dig into the skin if any parts break off and you cannot remove them easily.
Wash the site gently with lukewarm water and soap or rubbing alcohol. Keep the site clean and dry. You can also apply antibiotic ointment once to the site.
If you cannot get the entire tick head out, don't fret. The head should eventually fall out on its own as the skin will push it up as it heals.
Wash your hands after removing a tick. If you tried and cannot remove the tick at all, call your doctor's office.
Symptoms to watch out for
After a tick bite, look out for a bullseye rash. This typically occurs 2 to 4 weeks after the tick bite. A bullseye rash looks like red rings around the tick bite site.
Other symptoms to watch out for include signs of infection at the bite site (such as pus, redness, and red streaks) and a fever. Muscle aches, joint pain, and exhaustion are also symptoms to look out for.
Call your pediatrician if you notice any of these symptoms in your child within a month after a tick bite. For more information on tick diseases, prevention, and removal, review the resources below.
Resources:
How Ticks Spread Diseases
How ticks spread disease - CDC
Diseases Spread by Insects and Ticks - HealthyChildren.org
Tick Prevention and DEET
Prevention of arthropod and insect bites: Repellents and other measures - UpToDate
Choosing an Insect Repellent for Your Child - HealthyChildren.org
Tick Removal Resources
How to Remove a Tick - HealthyChildren.org
Tick Removal: A Step-by-Step Guide (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth
This article was written by Katie Taibl, BSN, RN, CPN. Katie is a pediatric nurse and clinical freelance writer, with over nine years of experience in acute and primary care settings. As the Patient and Family Outreach Educator at Roslindale Pediatric Associates, she helps parents and patients access actionable, user-friendly health content.
