While most ticks are not infected with diseases, there are many that are. If you find a tick on your child, there are several things you can do at home. Ticks can spread Lyme disease, as well as other diseases, but this is not something you can usually detect right away.
Here are three things you should know about treating tick bites.
3. How to treat the bite at home
The first thing you should do is remove the tick if it is attached to the child. You can do this with a tweezers or with your fingers. Once you remove the tick, you should save it by placing it in a sealed bag. Your doctor may want to see the tick if you take the child in for treatment.
The next step is to wash the area of the tick bite. You can do this with soap and water, and you can then place an antibiotic cream on the area. This will help keep it clean.
If the area heals fine and your child appears healthy, you probably do not need to do anything further. There are times though when tick bites can lead to diseases, and you can detect if this might be the case if you notice certain symptoms.
2. The symptoms to look for
If the tick was not carrying a disease, you have nothing to worry about. If the tick was carrying a disease, such as Lyme disease, it is likely that the child will begin experiencing the following symptoms:
These symptoms are all common when people have contracted Lyme disease. You should take your child to a health clinic if any of these appear.
3. What a doctor will do
Your child's doctor will look at the area of the bite and will look at the tick if you bring it in. The doctor will also ask about the symptoms the child is having. From there, the doctor may order an antibody test.
Lyme disease affects the immune system and prevents it from fighting infections. An ELISA test can help the doctor determine if the child's antibodies are at the right levels, and this is usually the first step in diagnosing Lyme disease.
According to Mayo Clinic, the most common treatment used for Lyme disease is oral antibiotics. While this will not cure a person completely, it will treat the symptoms and help control the disease within the body.
If this happens to your child, you might want to schedule an appointment with a healthcare clinic before the child begins experiencing major symptoms. A doctor will know what to look for and how to treat the problem. To learn more, contact a company like Entira Family Clinics with any questions you have.
Share10 February 2015
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