Tick-ing Time Bombs

Adult dog tick: innocuous, but annoying

Recently the five members of my family took an evening stroll. With fine weather and pastel skies, we headed across the meadow path. Sounds idyllic, eh?

Idyllic, except that we returned with an army of ticks hitchhiking on our hides!

We spent at least fifteen minutes plucking the little arthropods off everyone. Thankfully, we were dealing with dog ticks, not deer ticks, so Lyme disease wasn't our biggest worry. But then Rocky Mountain spotted fever—which dog ticks carry and transmit—is nothing to sneeze at.

Clearly, avoiding and dealing with these tenacious little critters is an essential skill for all members of an active family.

What's the Worry?
Regardless of type, ticks are a nuisance. Twice in the last week I've had to use tweezers to remove ticks digging into my six-year-old. A year or two ago, a tick had such a firm hold on my husband that a doctor had to remove it.

Ticks are tiny, harmless-looking little suckers, but they can transmit a variety of diseases. Some, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, are fatal. Others, such as Lyme disease, can be severely debilitating. Another problem is diagnosis, because these diseases often mimic less serious viral infections.

Obviously, you don't want ticks feasting on you or your family.

The good news is that ticks need time to transmit disease—some health experts say 24 hours or longer for certain bacterium. As long as you're a vigilant searcher, your family is likely to remain safe.

Finally, if you constantly roam an area rife with deer ticks—meadows and unmown fields are bound to be thick with ticks—ask your physician whether you're a good candidate for the Lyme disease vaccine. This one isn't for kids, though. Currently, the vaccine isn't recommended for anyone under age 15.

Know Thine Enemy
The first thing to do is educate everyone. Know the types of ticks you're likely to encounter. Show your kids a specimen every time you find one. Ticks should be part of your children's outdoor "bad voodoo" vocabulary, right along with such wilderness afflictions as poison ivy, mosquitoes, snakes, and the like.

For more details on the various types, photos, and distinguishing features of ticks and related diseases, check out these sites:

Tick-Borne Diseases in North America

Protect Yourself from Lyme Disease

The Lyme Disease Foundation

The American Lyme Disease Foundation