CDC Data Shows a Sharp Rise in Tick Bite Emergency Visits This Season
Thomas Daniels, director of Fordham’s Louis Calder Center and creator of the Fordham Tick Index, explained that colder winters, particularly those with heavy snow, can actually benefit the growth of tick populations. Snow cover insulates them from extreme temperatures and increases their chances of survival, increasing the risk of disease for you, your children, and your pets.
Emergency department visits for tick bites are at their highest point in at least ten years, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the most recent week of available data, 85 out of every 100,000 emergency department visits were related to tick bites. Rates this year have been the highest in the Northeast region. This is an important reminder for families to take tick prevention seriously before and during any time outdoors.
Why Children Are Especially at Risk
Kids are naturally curious and active outdoors, as well as closer to the ground. Leading them to be more susceptible to them in frequent contact with grassy, wooded, and leafy areas where ticks live.
Since tick bites normally do not itch or hurt, children often do not notice them, and parents may not either until the tick has been attached for some time.
What Diseases Can Ticks Spread?
Ticks can cause serious illnesses. The most common is Lyme disease, which affects approximately 476,000 patients each year in the United States. Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial infection spread through the bite of blacklegged ticks and is most common in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper-Midwest regions.
Wood ticks, also called dog ticks, can sometimes spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever or Colorado tick fever. Deer ticks, the smaller of the two, are the ones most associated with Lyme disease.
What Are The Tick Disease Symptoms?
Early symptoms of Lyme disease — which can appear between 3 and 30 days after a bite — include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes. A characteristic bull’s-eye rash, known as erythema migrans, occurs in approximately 70 to 80 percent of infected people and typically begins at the site of the bite.
If Lyme disease is left untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, heart, and nervous system. Later symptoms can include facial paralysis, severe joint pain and swelling, heart palpitations, and inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The good news is that most cases can be treated successfully with a course of antibiotics when caught early.
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How to Check for and Remove a Tick from your child
What a tick looks like when it’s attached
A wood tick is roughly the size of an apple seed, while a deer tick is as small as a poppy seed or a pinhead. After feeding, ticks can swell to triple their size and become easier to spot. Which is why daily tick checks are so important.
How to remove a tick from skin
If you find a tick attached to your child’s skin, here is what to do:
- Use fine-tipped tweezers and grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, near its head. Pull straight upward with steady pressure, without twisting or crushing it. If a deer tick is too small for tweezers, use the edge of a credit card to scrape it off.
- After removal, wash the bite area and your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Apply an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin to the bite site once.
How not to remove a tick from your skin
Do not attempt to remove a tick by covering it with petroleum jelly, nail polish, or rubbing alcohol. Do not touch it with a hot or cold object. None of these methods works and may make removal more difficult.
When to Call Your Pediatrician
The risk of Lyme disease from a single deer tick bite is low — even in high-risk areas, it is estimated at around 2%. However, the risk rises if the tick was attached for longer than 36 hours or if the tick appears swollen rather than flat. In those cases, your pediatrician may recommend a preventive antibiotic.
Contact your child’s pediatrician if:
You were unable to fully remove the tick, your child develops a fever or rash in the following 4 weeks, the bite area begins to look infected, or your child seems to be getting worse.
People who develop a rash or fever after a bite, or after spending time in an area known for ticks, should seek prompt medical attention.
How to Prevent Tick Bites This Season
The CDC is urging families to take active steps to protect themselves. When spending time outdoors in wooded or grassy areas, dress children in long pants and long sleeves, and tuck pant legs into socks. Do a thorough tick check at the end of each day, paying close attention to the scalp, behind the ears, around the waist, and in skin folds.
Use an EPA-registered insect repellent and consider treating clothing with a permethrin-based product. Permethrin can be applied to pants, socks, and shoes, and remains effective through multiple washes. It should never be applied directly to the skin.
Early removal of a tick, within 36 hours, can significantly reduce the risk of Lyme disease transmission.
Talk to Our Tick-Experienced Pediatricians
If a tick has bitten your child or if you have questions about prevention and treatment, schedule a visit with your pediatric provider.
At Pediatric Associates of CT, our team at our Waterbury and Southbury offices is here to help your family navigate tick season safely and confidently.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your child’s healthcare provider regarding symptoms, new treatment options, or medical concerns before starting, stopping, or changing any medication. If your child is experiencing severe breathing difficulty or a medical emergency, seek emergency medical care immediately.
Sources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – CDC Data Show Weekly ER Visits for Tick Bites Higher Than Usual
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Tick Bite Data Tracker
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – About Lyme Disease
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Lyme Disease Signs and Symptoms
- American Academy of Pediatrics – CDC: ED Visits for Tick Bites Highest in a Decade
- HealthyChildren.org – How to Remove a Tick