Bug off: Avoid tickborne diseases with these savvy strategies
Lori O’Keefe Correspondent
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following tipsto help families avoid tickborne diseases:
Avoid tick-infested areas — typically wooded or high grassareas. Ticks also can be found in leaves, brush and tall grassin backyards.
Wear closed-toe shoes, a hat, long sleeves andlong pants tuckedinto socks. Put long hair up.
Products withpermethrin can be sprayed on clothing.
Use insect repellantwith no more than 30% DEET on the skin(for children 2 monthsand older), and reapply every one totwo hours. Wash off afterreturning indoors.
After possible tick exposure, examine thechild, especiallyalong the hairline and behind the ears.
Ifa tick is found, remove it immediately with tweezers or fingersprotected by a tissue. Grasp the tick as close to the skin aspossible and pull it straight out. (Avoid folklore remediessuch as petroleum jelly, gasoline or hot matches.)
Flush thetick down a toilet or dispose of it in a bottle filledwithrubbing alcohol.
Wash hands after removing a tick.
Seekmedical care if a rash or suspicious symptoms appear afterbeingexposed to a tick.
