Schools break up, but the summer’s no holiday for ticks

July 19, 2011 - PRLog -- However, all too often, children and their parents will be out and about, unaware of the dangers of ticks and the associated potential problem of Lyme disease.

The charity Lyme Disease Action warns all family members – both young and old – to keep an eye out for ticks during the summer holidays. Ticks – tiny blood-sucking parasites (the size of a full stop on an A4 page) – peak in population from April to October, and are found throughout the UK, North America and across Europe. So whether you’re camping in France, walking in Scandinavia or going further afield this summer, you need to be tick-aware. Likewise families need to be careful even if they are staying in the UK as ticks are found across the country, be it in a remote area or in a London park.

Lyme disease causes a range of unpleasant symptoms which may include a circular red rash, headaches, a stiff neck, extreme fatigue, muscle and joint pain, and disturbances of sight, hearing, digestive system and sleep. If left untreated it can progress to the joints, the heart and the nervous system.

To reduce the risk of being bitten by an infected tick, Lyme Disease Action advises parents and their children to take the following precautions:

• Wear long sleeves and trousers
• Wear light-coloured clothing so ticks are easier to spot
• Use an insect repellent effective against ticks (look for those containing the chemical DEET)
• Keep to pathways and try to avoid areas of overgrown vegetation
• Check for ticks regularly during the day
• Remove any ticks found attached as soon as possible
• Pack a tick remover (available from Lyme Disease Action from £4.99 including p&p) if holidaying away from home

NB It is particularly important to check children’s scalps as ticks climb higher on smaller people. According to a survey  based on a wood in southern England, 60% of bites on children were recorded as being above the waist, while adults were mainly bitten on their arms and legs.

Tick removal
Ticks should be removed immediately with a tick removal tool or fine pointed tweezers. Gently pull the tick's body away from your skin directly outwards, without jerking. Do not try to pull the tick out with your fingers, and do not burn the tick or cover it with creams or chemicals. If you don’t have a tick removal tool, use a thread of cotton wound round close to the skin and pull upwards or, alternatively, cut a slit in a plastic card and slide that under the tick’s body.

Treatment
If you have been bitten by a tick and notice any of the above symptoms, seek medical help straight away. Diagnosed and treated early, Lyme disease can be treated successfully with antibiotics. NB tick bites do not itch like mosquito bites, so awareness is important to aid diagnosis.

Lyme Disease Action (http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk) is a charity striving for greater awareness of Lyme disease and associated tick-borne diseases.

Ends
18 July 2011

Note to Editors: A Lyme disease fact sheet, poster (showing how to remove a tick correctly) and leaflets on Lyme disease are available for publication if required or for readers to take to their own local GP or veterinary practice.

Press:  Issued by Lyme Disease Action’s press office (http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk).  

For more information, or to speak to Stella Huyshe-Shires, the Chair of Lyme Disease Action, please contact Sue Ockwell or Helena Hamlyn via email - press@lymediseaseaction.org.uk - or ring 020 8891 4440.

[1] Source: Robertson et al. 2000. Eur J Epidem 16:647-652

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