Throughout the year many of us head outside to enjoy are beautiful surroundings. That being said I thought I would put out a brief reminder that among all this beauty are ticks. By being aware and taking preventive measures it may reduce the possibility of infection from ticks.
Tips to prevent ticks:
- Make a habit of thoroughly checking yourself and others for the ticks after outdoor activities
- Wear light colored clothing to spot ticks more easily
- When playing in wooded areas, wear long sleeved shirts and tuck pant legs into socks
- Stay on cleared, well-worn trails
- Conduct a full body check of yourself and your children before going to bed. Make sure to check scalp, behind the head and neck, ears, and behind knees.
- If you find a tick, it should be removed with tweezers. Release the tick into a zip bag in case you want it identified later on. Wash your hands and the site of the bite with soap and water. Swab bite with alcohol.
- Seek medical care if: the tick might have been on the skin for more than 24 hours, part of the tick remains in the skin after attempted removal, a rash of any kind develops, the bite looks infected or if you have any symptoms of illness
- Use repellent when outside to help with prevention