Removing Ticks: The Dos and Don’ts
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
For such tiny insects, ticks certainly instill big fears in both kids and adults — and for good reason: Some carry Lyme disease, the most commonly reported insect-borne illness in the United States.
Making matters worse, many parents are unsure of the best way to remove a tick once spotted on the skin. “Sometimes, parents bring kids in with ticks still clinging to their skin and ask us to remove them,” says Naline Lai, MD, a pediatrician at CHOP Primary Care, Newtown, PA, and co-founder, with Julie Kardos, MD, of the Two Peds in a Pod blog.
But tick removal is safe and simple to do on your own and at home. To save you the trip to your pediatrician, here are Dr. Lai and Dr. Kardos’ dos and don’ts for plucking the bugs off:
Contributed by: Naline Lai, MD, FAAP, Julie Kardos, MD, FAAP