By Lauren B. Schiffman
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (Mass. DPH) says that in 2014 there were more than 3,800 cases of Lyme disease reported and nearly 1,800 probable cases. It also indicated that “the highest incidence rates were among children aged 5-9 years and adults aged 65-74 years. The majority of cases had onsets in June, July, and August.”
Lyme disease is contracted when an infected deer tick, which is about the size of a sesame seed, attaches itself to a host.
So how do we enjoy the great outdoors while also taking the proper precautions against tick-borne illness?
Here are a few ways to safeguard yourself and your family:
-When outdoors, stay on marked paths and try to avoid high brush. Ticks thrive in wooded, grassy areas.
-If you have a pet with you, keep the pet on the path, and consider giving your pet monthly flea and tick prevention treatments. Talk to your vet about the best options for your furry friend.
-Wear protective clothing. Lightly-colored pants and long-sleeved shirts are helpful in identifying ticks that may have latched on. Tuck pants into socks to minimize the amount of exposed skin.
-Use a repellant that contains at least 20 percent DEET, which provides the most effective protection against insects. (Other repellants may be effective in protecting against mosquitos – but not against ticks.) Parents: be sure that you properly apply the DEET to your kids, and don’t get it in their eyes, mouth or on their hands. It’s poisonous if swallowed. It is recommended that when applying DEET to children, parents wear gloves, spray the gloves with DEET and carefully pat it on the child’s skin.
-After going inside from the outdoors, check everyone’s clothing as well their bodies for ticks. Pay special attention to parts of the body where ticks like to latch. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the following areas are especially susceptible: “under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, back of the knees, in and around all head and body hair, between the legs (the groin, and) around the waist.”
-Put clothing in a hot dryer for about an hour to kill any ticks that have attached themselves.
What happens if you find a tick? Remove it as quickly as possible. First, clean your hands as well as the bite site. Then, take a fine-tipped tweezer, grab hold of the tick – as close to the skin as possible – and pull it slowly and directly out. Otherwise, you’ll run the risk of leaving part of the tick in the skin.
Call your physician to let her know that you or a family member have been bitten. That way, the information will be in your medical record and can be referenced if and when any Lyme disease symptoms present themselves.
Be sure to monitor yourself or your family member for symptoms, which can include the bullseye rash we’ve all come to associate with Lyme (though it doesn’t always appear); aches and pains and other flu-like symptoms; a stiff neck and fatigue, to name a few. It’s important to note that there are other dangerous tick-borne diseases that a person can contract from the same tick that carries Lyme disease.
The proper precautions and the right amount of education are helpful in preventing many illnesses or injuries. Be sure to protect yourself and your family, and you may be able to minimize your risk of contracting Lyme disease.
Lauren B. Schiffman is director of communications for Century Health Systems, parent company of Natick Visiting Nurse Association and Distinguished Care Options. For more information, visit www.centuryhealth.org, or call 508-651-1786.