By: Jill Bernstein, MD Pediatrics of Enfield
For parents, understanding tick safety is a crucial part of keeping kids healthy. This guide provides an evidence-based approach to identifying ticks, protecting your family, and recognizing the early warning signs of Lyme disease, which is carried by certain ticks. Read on to learn everything you need to know about ticks and how to protect your child from them.
What Are Ticks and Where Do They Live?
Ticks are small, blood-feeding arachnids (members of the same family as spiders and mites) that rely on host animals to survive. They do not jump or fly; instead, they crawl onto humans or animals through a behavior called questing, or holding onto grass or twigs with their back legs while reaching out with their front legs to grab a passing host.
In Connecticut, ticks thrive in humid, shaded environments. Their preferred habitats include:
- Tall grasses and brushy fields.
- Leaf litter beneath trees.
- The borders where manicured lawns meet wooded areas.
- Stone walls and woodpiles.
Ticks can be found throughout the region and the state. They are found in urban and rural areas alike. If your child spends time outdoors, in the woods, or at an outdoor summer camp, they are at risk for encountering ticks. But how do you tell the difference between harmless ticks and ticks that carry disease?.
Spotting the Threat: Identifying Deer Ticks
While several tick species live in New England, the Blacklegged Tick (commonly known as the Deer Tick) is the primary tick responsible for transmitting Lyme disease, as well as other infections like Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis.
Because deer tick nymphs are only about the size of a poppy seed, they are incredibly difficult to spot. This makes close physical inspections vital after outdoor play.
High-Risk Activities and the Role of Family Pets
Many standard summer activities can inadvertently expose children to tick habitats. High-risk outdoor scenarios include:
- Hiking or walking on narrow trails bordered by high brush.
- Building forts in wooded areas or playing in leaf litter.
- Summer camps that utilize outdoor or forested campus spaces.
- Playing backyard games near un-cleared brush or tree lines.
The Pet Connection
Your family dogs and cats act as physical bridges between the outdoors and your living room. Dogs running through high grass can easily collect ticks in their fur. Even if a pet is on a veterinary-approved tick preventative, an active tick can hitch a ride on their coat, enter your home, and later crawl off onto a couch, carpet, or directly onto a child.
Regularly brushing pets and checking them before they enter the house reduces the risk of secondary exposure for your children.
The Prevention Protocol: Inspection, Removal, and Testing
Preventing tick-borne illness relies on prompt detection. The longer a tick remains attached to the skin, the higher the risk of pathogen transmission.
How to Conduct a Thorough Tick Check
When your child comes indoors from a high-risk area, have them take a warm shower within two hours—this can wash off unattached ticks. Conduct a systematic visual and physical inspection of their entire body, paying special attention to these hidden hotspots:
- In and around the ears.
- The hairline and throughout the scalp
- Under the arms and inside the belly button.
- Around the waistline and between the legs.
- Behind the knees.
Step-by-Step Safe Removal Instructions
If you discover an attached tick, remain calm and use the following clinically approved method to remove it immediately. Do not use matches, petroleum jelly, or nail polish, as these methods can cause the tick to regurgitate fluids back into the bite site.
Clean the Area: Wash the bite area thoroughly with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water
- Use Fine-Tipped Tweezers: Grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Pull Upward Steadily: Use even, steady pressure to pull the tick straight out. Avoid twisting or jerking the tick, which can cause the mouthparts to break off in the skin
- Clean the Area: Wash the bite area thoroughly with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water
Should You Save the Tick for Testing?
Yes, saving the tick can be highly beneficial. Place the removed tick into a sealed plastic bag or a small container along with a damp paper towel to keep it from drying out.
In Connecticut, parents can submit the tick to local health departments or specialized labs (such as the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station or commercial testing services) to verify if the tick is a deer tick and if it carries the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. While a positive tick test does not automatically mean your child was infected, it gives our clinical team valuable data if symptoms develop.
Lyme Disease: Symptoms, Progression, and Treatment
Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted through the bite of an infected deer tick.
Early Stage Signs and Symptoms (3 to 30 Days Post-Bite)
- The Erythema Migrans (EM) Rash: Often called the “bullseye” rash, it expands gradually over several days and may reach up to 12 inches across. It is typically not itchy or painful, but it is a definitive sign of infection. Note: Not all patients develop a rash.
- Flu-Like Symptoms: Fatigue, fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes.
Progression and Untreated Risks
If early symptoms are missed or left untreated, the infection can spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, leading to more severe complications weeks to months later:
Late-Stage Arthritis: Severe joint pain and swelling, particularly affecting large joints like the knees.
Neurological Issues: Facial palsy (loss of muscle tone on one or both sides of the face), meningitis, or nerve pain.
Cardiac Complications: Lyme carditis, which can interfere with normal heart rhythms.
Clinical Treatment
When caught early, Lyme disease is highly treatable. Pediatric patients are typically prescribed a straightforward 10- to 14-day course of oral antibiotics (most commonly Doxycycline or Amoxicillin, depending on the child’s age and medical history). Additionally, most pediatric offices, including Pediatrics of Enfield, offer prophylaxis, or any preventative medical treatment of a potential infection following exposure to the pathogen. If you find an engorged deer tick on your child and you’re concerned about Lyme Disease, schedule an appointment within 72 hours. We will administer one dose of the common anti-biotic doxycycline to reduce the risk of Lyme Disease.
When to Contact Pediatrics of Enfield
While a tick bite can be unnerving, taking quick, proactive steps makes a significant difference. If you know or suspect your child has been exposed to a deer tick, or if you notice an expanding red rash, fever, or unusual joint aches following outdoor play, do not wait for symptoms to worsen. If you find an engorged deer tick on your child, schedule an appointment within 72 hours to proactively address potential Lyme Disease infection.
Please contact our clinical team at Pediatrics of Enfield immediately at (833) 538-7464 to schedule an evaluation. Early assessment protects your child’s health and gives you peace of mind for the rest of the summer.
About the Author
Dr. Jill Bernstein, MD, FAAP is an experienced board‑certified pediatrician and Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. With over two decades in pediatric care settings—including academic, community health, subspecialty, and quality improvement leadership. Dr. Bernstein is dedicated to evidence-based practice, interprofessional collaboration, and teaching the next generation of physicians.