LymeNet Flash: child with tick bite...help with Pediatrician

This is topic child with tick bite...help with Pediatrician in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by HiHopes (Member # 7286) on :

Hi,

I got a tick off my 10 yr old daughter today and have it saved in a baggy for testing. What is the proper way to package it?

Can anyone give me the link for guidelines for propholactic abx for a child's tick bite? I will be taking her to the ped. tomorrow, but want to be armed with specific information. I don't want to get there and have her tell me to watch for a bull's eye and flu-like symptoms...

I'm sorry, this probably has been discussed many times, but my search feature doesn't work...I can't think straight right now, I try to be so careful with my kids. I never wanted them to go through what I have...

We live in an extremely endemic area for Lyme.

Any help would be appreciated...

Jen

Posted by mbroderick (Member # 5220) on :

I know that Igenex will test the tick if you mail it in (I presume that you can call them and get instructions for how to send it.). Their phone number is 800-832-3200. The cost is comparable to having a person tested, though.

Posted by ICEiam (Member # 7519) on :

HI,

Thank God you know to get her to a doctor ASAP, I think I might have taken her to urgent care as soon as I found the tick and

got her started on the reccommended treatment for a child her age. That is just me and being paranoid since going through 14 years of trying to get my child diagnosed.

I think that you put the tick in a film canister like container with a damp cotton ball and send it to IgeneX. Call them first

thing in the morning. They are Pacific Standard Time. They will tell you what to do. I would INSIST that her doctor treat

her anyway, just to be sure. A few weeks of antibiotics won't hurt her. Better to be safe than sorry.

Good Luck, I will pray the tick comes back with no Lyme.

------------------
ICEY

IDAHO LYME SUPPORT GROUP
[email protected]

Posted by HiHopes (Member # 7286) on :

Thank you everyone for your responses. I hope this doesn't sound dumb.I'm pretty sure this is a dog tick and I thought I had read that pretty much ALL ticks can carry Lyme now. Is this true??

Maybe I'm being an alarmist?? I just have so much fear for my kids where this is concerned. Just want to do the right thing for my daughter.

Once again, any help would be appreciated...

Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :

Just want you to be aware that testing the tick has lots of limitations.

The test results may or may NOT be accurate.
Testing for Lyme will not give info on possible co-infections.
Each co-infection is a separate test with a fee.

For info about tick testing, go to www.igenex.com
Don't know if this link is still good - www.igenex.com/ticktest.htm

Print "Diagnostic Hints & Treatment Guidelines..." at www.ilads.org/burrascano_1102.html

It's about 32 pages long & has excellent info about Lyme & co-infections (Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Bartonella).

page 16: antibiotic choices
Child's dose of Amoxicillin is determined by child's weight.

last page: Rationale for Treating Tick Bites
Good reasons given.
Last paragraph is especially important!!

As someone else said, the wonderful Lyme Pediatrician in CT "recommends & prescribes 30 days antibiotics for child with a known tick attachment."

Your child's dr could call his office & ask their advice.
I don't think you gave your e-mail.
If you e-mail me, I'll give you his name & contact info.
LymeNet does not want us to give it here anymore.

How long do you think the tick was attached?

Concerning treatment for tick bite -
In my opinion, it's far better to err on the side of caution than to risk having a child develop Lyme disease.

[This message has been edited by cbb (edited 24 July 2005).]

Posted by Hagen (Member # 948) on :

There have been numerous tick bites in my area and I was fortunate enought to find out that the Army was conducting a study on ticks - to see if indeed we do have Lyme Disease in my State. We've been instructed to contact the Poison Control Office for our State and they give the instructions for preserving and sending the tick off for testing. Due to the present tests - all the ticks are to be tested, free of charge.
I have done what I could in my area and sent out by newspapers, church bulletins, police, firefighters, etc. There has been an overwhelming response. I just hope and pray that this is a "real" study and not something to just pacify our public. Sometimes getting doctors to prescribe the ABX is a nightmare also, but some in our area are finally at least listening. I wouldn't leave the doctor's office without ABX for my child - if they wouldn't prescribe it, I would find someone that would. It's so hard to think that you have to fight for a little ABX rather than possibly be faced with a liftime of agony.

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

If the tick comes back as "negative" for Lyme....you still won't know if Lyme was transmitted to your daughter.

Why? Because there are 300 strains of Lyme disease and they only test for a few strains....[sorry, can't remember how many....but it's way less than 20].

I sent a tick to be tested this spring and it was negative.....but 9 days after the bite, I came down with a "flu-like illness" and have had some problems ever since then.

Ticks carry an "infectious soup" of bacteria. The best way to protect your daughter is to get her put on abx immediately.

I got a script for doxy within 5 hours of finding the tick....and still, I got sick.

If your pedi won't cooperate, can you get abx from your LLMD?

Taking abx for at least 6 wks would be the safest thing to do...and some would say even longer than that.

Good luck and keep us posted!

PS....each test is $55 at Igenex.

------------------
Do not take anything I say as medical advice. I am not a doctor, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express!
oops!
Lymetutu

Posted by valymemom (Member # 7076) on :

Jen

cbb gave you good links so that you have information to give to your pediatrician. Since your area (like our northern VA area) is endemic - and you yourself have lyme - I think your doctor will give you the appropriate amount of abx.

If you are unhappy, though, with follow-up - email me about a close-by MD doctor who treats adults and children. (Maybe you did get the number from me already).

Posted by janet thomas (Member # 7122) on :

Lymetoo- If doxy didn't do it for you maybe you should think Bart or ???? (not sure).

Posted by HiHopes (Member # 7286) on :

Thanks everyone for your help.

Can anyone tell me if the common dog tick can carry Lyme?

I'm pretty sure that's the kind of tick it is. I thought I had read somewhere that most all tick varieties can carry Lyme these days, but I can't find where I read that...

Thanks!

Posted by valymemom (Member # 7076) on :

I read that, too.

Posted by HiHopes (Member # 7286) on :

cbb, thanks for the great links and info. I have printed it off and highlighted those important sections.

Everything I'm reading says just the deer and lone star ticks carry Lyme...I know I saw somewhere all varieties now can carry it -- Am I nuts?? I see tick so I want to TREAT NOW.

valymemom, When I last talked to you, you couldn't find the number to the llmd you spoke of. I'd love to have that number if you have it now...

Lymetoo, My llmd doesn't treat kids unfortunately. I don't even think she'd give me an rx...

If anyone knows if dog ticks can carry lyme I'd surely appreciate it!!

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

I don't trust ANY blood-sucking tick! I think they are all guilty by association!!!

The cause and spread of Lyme http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/032259.html

I can't think of any medical abstracts that would support the theory of "ANY ticks can transmit Lyme." But read the above link and here's another:
www.ticktexas.org

It may have info on it...not sure.

------------------
Do not take anything I say as medical advice. I am not a doctor, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express!
oops!
Lymetutu

[This message has been edited by Lymetoo (edited 24 July 2005).]

Posted by ICEiam (Member # 7519) on :

The tick I picked off my daughter's back 14 years ago was the same exact ticks I was picking off the dog. So I am not sure what

kind of a tick it was but when engorged they looked like BIG rasins. However, no matter what kind of tick it was, 14 years later she

is very ill with Lyme and 4 other tick borne diseases. I am with lymetoo, I don't trust any of the blood sucking nasty things!!

[This message has been edited by ICEiam (edited 24 July 2005).]

Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :

In my opinion, NO tick is a safe tick.

I just think there has not been enough reliable research to know what every type of tick is capable of transmitting.

Also, it's sometimes difficult to be sure what kind of tick it is.

Like the familiar saying -
Absence of proof is not proof of absence.

Posted by valymemom (Member # 7076) on :

Jen

I sent you the number.

Let us know what happens. You know you will get action/research/first hand anecdotes from everyone here.

Posted by HiHopes (Member # 7286) on :

Thanks for all your help everyone. I'm not the only who thinks tick and abx NOW!!! There isn't enough research to know exactly what each tick variety can transmit. I can't take any chances.

I thought I was organized with all my lyme info and knew all the basics. I find a tick on my child and all that knowledge just evaporated into fear..

I will go to the ped tomorrow armed with my info and a don't-mess-with-this-mom attitude...I will let you know how it goes.

Again, thank you for all your input about tick testing and treatment. I'm so thankful to have this resource to turn to.

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