HELP! My son pulled a deer tick off today.

[minimaxwell]

My other child has PANDAS and I am nervous. I do not know much about Lyme. He has the squished tick, no blood when squished. Do I make the ped. give abx?

[Orion]

My first question is, was the tick engorged at all? Different tick-borne pathogens are transmitted at different rates. But despite the conventional wisdom, any tick bite can be problematic.

 

It is good that you saved the tick, as UMASS extension service will test the tick for Lyme, Babesia, Anaplasma, and Bartonella, the most common co-infections. That may offer you some relief. having said that, if there is Lyme in your area, personally, I would get treated.

 

Increasingly, doctors are giving a 1day prophylactic dose of doxycycline ( your son may be too young for this drug??). However, too many docs do not know the research only shows this to be effective 1) if given within 48 hrs of a tick bite, and, 2) only really stops the rash, the researchers discounted other Lyme-like symptoms.

 

If it was my son, and knowing that there is most likely something potentially wonky with my kids immune system, I would most definitely fight for at least 2 if not 4 weeks of antibiotics.

 

Mark down on the calendar, when your son was bit, in case symptoms develop a few weeks from now. and, re- check him for ticks, if there was 1, there very easily could be more. Ticks like to bite areas where the sun doesn't shine, as they say. Groin area ( testicles too), inside belly buttons and ears are favorite hiding spots Remember, the nymphal ticks are the size of a poppy seed. Any rash that may appear, most commonly 3-30 days after a bite, may not develop at the site of the bite.

 

Edited to add: I just retread your post. SQUISHED??? How was the tick removed? If removed any other way, other than tweezers, the tick could easily have regurgitated before removal, adding the risk of germ transmission. Are you sure all mouth parts were removed?

Edited July 1, 2012 by Orion

[minimaxwell]

I thought he had saved it(which was not engorged). When I asked him to go get it I heard "oh no!" Turns out he left it on the bathroom counter and it was no longer there. This kid is not the brightest bulb! So now I have 3 little tiny things in a ziploc, none are moving,not sure if they are tics or specks of dirt. He was bitten in the groin area. Which abx do you think I should ask for? I am nervous about doxy because he is going to camp and will be in the sun all day.

[MichaelTampa]

Get it right, treat the bite! Cost of treating later if lyme did get transmitted are enormous, take a chance at preventing that and treat it now seriously. Given you have PANDAS in the household, and the relationship between lyme and PANDAS that some are finding, it is also possible that he had lyme since birth and treating the bite now will cause a slew of symptoms as a reaction caused by the existing lyme being bothered by the treatment, something to be aware of the possibility and on the lookout for if you do treat now.

 

https://sites.google.com/site/getitrighttreatthebite/ticks/treat-the-bite

[philamom]

You will need a magnifying glass to see if you have the tick in the bag. If you do, add a slightly moist cotton ball or blade of grass in the event you might send out for testing. You can find photos of all types of ticks at www.tickencounter.org

[mdmom]

Our LLMD says if you are bitten take 2 Tindamax right away. I just happen to have some in my huge arsenal of meds. Not sure if you could get your doc to prescribe, but thought might others might benefit from this info.

[rowingmom]

Our LLMD says if you are bitten take 2 Tindamax right away. I just happen to have some in my huge arsenal of meds. Not sure if you could get your doc to prescribe, but thought might others might benefit from this info.

That's great! I never thought to ask our LLMD what to do should DS or DH get bitten. I do have quite a stock of tindamax at the moment.