Technical Names: Lyme Disease
Lyme Map: Lyme has a definite geographic distribution. According to the CDC you’ll find Lyme in these three areas:
- Northeast: Massachusetts to Maryland.
- North-central states: especially Wisconsin and Minnesota.
- West Coast: especially northern California.
Nicknames: Lyme Disease, Lyme
What it is: tick-borne infection from ticks of the Ixodes genussed by the bacteria borrelia borgoferi
Typical Ages for Illness: any
Typical Symptoms: Lyme Disease has three stages.
- Early: is a characteristic rash at the site of the tic bite called erythema migrans. Its main property is an expanding, red circle.
- The second phase is more disseminated: multiple erythema migrans patches occur in 15% of patients, other symptoms that can occur during this phase are arthritis, conjunctivitis, nerve palsies, headache and fatigue. Other uncommon issues can develop during this phase if untreated.
- Late disease is chronic arthritis of the large joints, usually knees. This is very, very uncommon in kids who have been treated.
Etiology: Borrelia burgdorferi , a spirochete bacteria
Seasonal Issues: spring and summer when tics are out; geographic distribution includes New England, eastern mid-Atlantic states, upper Midwest in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
How’s It Spread? Via tick bite of infected tic
Incubation Period: 1-55 days with a mean of 11 days. Late symptoms occur months to years later.
Diagnosis: clinical if rash present; quick lab assay that will remain positive for life – so it can be used for diagnosis but not to confirm if treatment was effective.
Prevention: REMOVE THE TICK if you remove the tic with in 2 days, Lyme will not get transmitted from the tick to the person its attached to. So, the sooner than better. How to remove? Take a tweezers and grab the tick on the head. Gently pull up and the tic will release. Don’t worry if the tikc’s small pincers stay attached to the skin – those don’t carry disease and will not cause harm.
Treatment:
Antibiotics for 14-21 days orally for early disease. More complicated disease and late disease needs to be treated longer and sometimes by IV antibiotics.
Call Your Pediatrician if your child has: A tick bite where a characteristic rash began to form.
School and After school Activity Issues: no restrictions. This is not contagious person to person.
Internet Resources For Parents
Internet Resources for Kids and Teens
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