Last night I gave my 7 week old daughter a bath and found a tick on the back of her neck. I got it off of her and saved it. It was very small so I have no idea how long it was there. I immediately called the on call pediatrician and she advised me that they do not do anything for tick bites initially but that they wait for symptoms to appear. Given that many of the symptoms such as fatigue, muscle soreness, etc won't be able to be reported by a 7 week old, I'm concerned by the doctors advice. I'm not sure if a rash appears in all cases either. I would like to get the tick tested and have my daughter seen by a doctor. I live in Philadelphia, PA. Does anyone know if I can take the tick somewhere to be tested and if there is a specialist/doctor in the Philadelphia area. Thank you
Posts: 1 | From Philadelphia, PA | Registered: Jun 2009
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
welcome mcdermott
check your profile above for KIDS LLMDS in your area; you have one in penn! lucky you ... 16 nationwide ony!
WOW, i'm so sorry to learn this! you did the right thing keeping the tick & calling a kids dr. WRONG ADVISE BY THEM!
Welcome; I'm so glad you found us!! You've come to the right place for education and support!
Betty's suggested POSTING GUIDELINES . many of us have neuro lyme where we can NOT read long solid block text and be able to comprehend and read it as is.
please edit your post by CLICKING PAPER/PENCIL ICON to right of your name. that opens up BOTH subject line and body text.
now please break up your WORDY SENTENCES into one sentence paragraphs. Then hit ENTER KEY ``TWICE`` after each paragraph; we need that space for comprehension.
then go to left hand corner and mark box to receive ALL REPLIES, and click EDIT SEND
we thank you for helping us; otherwise, we will SOB, SCROLL ON BY, since we can't read to help you. If I see posts like this, I SOB them; to hard on me. ------------------------------------------------------
People seeking doctors might be able to get help from their state online information and support group. Nearly 3,400 people belong to state groups. Some of the groups are small but more than 20 of them have 50 or more people and seven have over 100.
The groups are moderated and you have to apply. Most don't allow doctor names, but once on the group, you can ask for doctors in a certain area and ask people to email you privately. *******************************************
This explains the medical politics around lyme WHY you need an ILADS-educated or ILADS-member LLMD (and there are also some ILADS-member LL NDs (naturopathic doctors):
You should also be evaluated for coinfections. Not all tests are great in that regard, either, but a good LLMD can evaluate you and then guide you in testing. One of the top labs is:
"With most infections, your immune system first forms IgM antibodies, then in about 2 to 4 weeks, you see IgG antibodies. In some infections, IgG antibodies may be detectable for years.
Because Borrelia burgdorferi is a chronic persistent infection that may last for decades, you would think patients with chronic symptoms would have positive IgG Western blots.
But actually, more IgM blots are positive in chronic borreliosis than IgG. Every time Borrelia burgdorferi reproduces itself, it may stimulate the immune system to form new IgM antibodies.
Some patients have both IgG and IgM blots positive. But if either the IgG or IgM blot is positive, overall it is a positive result.
Response to antibiotics is the same if either is positive, or both. Some antibodies against the borrelia are given more significance if they are IgG versus IgM, or vice versa.
Since this is a chronic persistent infection, this does not make a lot of sense to me. A newly formed Borrelia burgdorferi should have the same antigen parts as the previous bacteria that produced it.
But anyway, from my clinical experience, these borrelia associated bands usually predict a clinical change in symptoms with antibiotics, regardless of whether they are IgG or IgM." ===========
ILADS The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) provides a forum for health science professionals to share their wealth of knowledge regarding the management of Lyme and associated diseases.
please get a western blot igm and igg blood test drawn LOCALLY on a mon. or tues. and sent to the below ok! all details are there.
IGENEX , CALIF. BLOOD TESTINGS ...check current $$!
* Please note: What you are about to read below is NOT meant to scare any of you from any lyme testings done; it's meant to be informed PRIOR to going into having various tests done and then be told what the costs will be! * Mine was sticker $$ shock on various testings done by my 2nd LLMD/new to me in 4=06. Those tests/results are found elsewhere in my links/advise.
* Igenex's charges for these below things cost $905, which I figured up the last 2 days for 2 other folks includes
* The below tests were done for ME; you MAY NOT NEED them all ok! :
* western blot IGM & IGG, this is MANDATORY for you which costs $200 total for 2 tests done; 6.09 same prices still. * * ******************************************************* * OPTIONAL ONES ARE:
* co-infection panel for YOUR AREA OF COUNTRY; * PCR WHOLE BLOOD...this is what my LLMD ordered!
It's PREPAY! unless you are on medicare; IGX will file the paperwork & it's FREE to you.
go to www.igenex.com and read over their info. Prices go up twice a year: MAY and NOVEMBER!!
* * have blood drawn MON. or TUES. only; you don't want your blood sitting in post office over the weekend; will ruin the results!
* Also, call 1-800.832.3200 for CURRENT PRICES! * They will also send you a ``test kit'' with their required form, all the test vials, & box to ship it in! OUT OF USA will take longer to receive!
* You need to DOWNLOAD IGENEX's required form.****************************************************** * * MD, DO ,ND, AC, DC are all fine** must sign, date, and show DIAGNOSIS CODE on there why he's ordering the test.
Make sure you show to FAX results and SNAIL MAIL PAPER COPY! My results were lost for 4-5 weeks! Bettyg * * When you get your results, please post them in MEDICAL; * Post ONLY the POSITIVE & IND ones .... not the negative ones!
GET COPIES OF ALL YOUR SPECIAL BLOOD TESTS: western blot igm/igg and/or co-infection tests always!!
* Also, look for post by LYMETOO/TUTU on DR. C's (Missouri) explanation of the western blot IGM & IGG numbers, below!
print off the below dr. burrascano's 08 lyme treatment guidelines & i noted meds for kids/adults.
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Leelee
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19112
posted
I am so sorry your baby had an embedded tick.
I believe Igenex does tick testing. They have a website: www.igenex.com.
-------------------- The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King,Jr Posts: 1573 | From Maryland | Registered: Feb 2009
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posted
What a lucky baby to have such smart parents.
As you probably know, Philly is a hot spot for tick borne illness.
Has anyone sent you contact info for the best pediatric Lyme doctor?
It may help if you try calling them for suggestions/advice in the morning.
I am not sure how a baby can tell you its symptoms, other than a rash. Geeze.
You are doing the right thing so far. Great job!
Posts: 261 | From Piedmont | Registered: May 2008
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
You can send the tick to Igenex to be tested. Put the tick in a prescription bottle with a damp cotton ball to keep it from drying out.
Call Igenex if any questions (igenex.com). Ask them if you can have it tested for lyme disease, babesiosis and bartonella. These are the primary coinfections. If it has any of these diseases, it also has lyme disease regardless of the lyme test result.
Just know that it takes about 1 month to get the results of the tests. And, as with all lyme and coinfection tests, the tick tests are not 100% reliable.
A rash does not appear in all cases. So, you can't go by that to know if the child got a disease. However, if a rash appears, then the child must be treated for lyme disease.
As you probably know, not every tick carries lyme disease and its coinfections.
The very best pediatric lyme specialist in the world is in New Haven, Connecticut--Dr. J. I understand he will not treat children that do not have symptoms.
I believe that if your child is infected, you will be able to tell that something is wrong. The child will act differently because she will not feel well.
Near the top of "Medical Questions" forum is a post entitled "Lyme Disease & Coinfection Symptom List." It includes a list of children's symptoms of lyme disease. Take a look at that list.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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ping
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6974
posted
cmcdermott - Knowing what I know now, I would take that baby directly to Dr. J. in CT. Nevermind sending a tick to Igenex, or dancing around with other stuff. You need a pediatrician who has lots of experience and knows what he's doing. A child of 7 weeks? You bet! Get to CT, ASAP! Be prepared, it will cost you, but better now than tomorrow, the next day, the day after that, and on and on....
ping "We are more than containers for Lyme"
-------------------- ping "We are more than containers for Lyme" Posts: 1302 | From Back in TX again | Registered: Mar 2005
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otherwise, we will SOB, SCROLL ON BY, since we can't read to help you. If I see posts like this, I SOB them; to hard on me. 
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