What to do if you find a tick?

[Cj60]

Hi,

I'm sliding over here from the Tourette forum, where I get help for my son's tics. Sorry for my naive questions...

 

We just pulled a deer tick from the belly of our daughter (almost 5). My wife found it because it was itching her.

It likely made its way on to her within the past 48 hrs.- she's been helping lug front yard clean up to the back area of our property where ticks have been encountered before (not quite as far up, though). It wasn't lodged in too well.

 

We've saved the tick. Should we have it tested? Should we put her on an antibiotic just in case? We did this with her older brother when we found one a little more deeply lodged in him several years back. I'd suspect lyme with him, but he presented with tic behavior prior to that episode.

 

If we were to request precautionary abx, what would we ask for?

 

Thanks!

 

Chris

[philamom]

Hello Chris,

At the very least, I would place the tick in a baggie or jar with moist (not wet) cotton ball or blades of grass to keep it alive in case she presents with symptoms. I also recommend seeing if a physician will put her on 30 days of amoxicillin. Many doctors will not prescribe without a bullseye rash and/or symptoms.

 

If you decide you want to test the tick --we could give you information on labs that can test it for Lyme (Bb) and other tick borne co-infections.

 

I highly suggest having your other child (son) tested for lyme with Igenex Lab.

 

Post again if you need additional details.

 

Melinda

[philamom]

If you decide to test the tick, you can test with Igenex Lab (California) or there's a list of labs on this website under Tick Testing.

 

www.tickencounter.org