The kid of a friend was bit by a tick yesterday - and the doc says "wait" to see if any symptoms develop. He is 2.
Any thoughts? If you have Dr. J's phone number, please email it to me - I can have her mother give him acall tomorrow.
Thank you for your help!
Posted by LYMESCIENCE (Member # 9259) on :
Wait for what?? A two year old to describe their problems. Treat the kid and you do no harm, don't treat and he could have a very bad problem.
The key is to treat ASAP. Make sure your friend understands this, her kids health is at stake.
Posted by jif (Member # 9215) on :
TREAT!!!!!!
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
yeah. DON'T WAIT.
Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :
I'm not a dr, but based on our family's experience with LD (especially my grandson) - Not only should they treat, but also be sure treatment is adequate.
If the dose is not strong enough per day & the treatment is not long enough, then nothing will be accomplished.
page 32-33: "Rationale for Treating Tick Bites" Pay special attention to #1 and last paragraph!!
page 17: "Antibiotic Choices & Doses" Doxy should not be given to young children(teeth). Amoxicillin: Children: 50 mg/kg/day divided into q8h doses
My pharmacist did the math for me. 35 lb child needs about 800mg per day.
page 19: "Treatment categories" Tick Bites - no signs or symptoms Young children: oral therapy for 28 days
The earlier the treatment, the better the results, but ONLY if treatment is strong enough & long enough. Too little antibiotic (abx) will allow some of the spirochetes to survive, hide out, & the illness will flare up at some time in the future. Then the tick bite will have been forgotten & Lyme will not be considered as a possible diagnosis.
You only get one chance to treat early. If the opportunity is missed, it won't come around again.
It's much better to err on the side of caution rather than risk a young child's health.
Posted by hatsnscarfs (Member # 6562) on :
When I was bit my Dr. told me to wait a month and come back for a test. In the meantime watch for a bullseye rash, joint pains & flu like symptoms.
I watched for those symptoms but didn't get them. My ear and jaw hurt but I thought that was because I slept on them funny. I was confused and forgetful but I thought that was because I was overworked.
Then BAM 3 1/2 weeks after the bite 1 side of my face was completely paralyzed (Bell's Palsy). I could barley talk or eat and could not blink my eye. Ear & jaw pain got worse, shoulder hurt, numbness & stabbing pains started, confusion got worse...
It was too late. Now I'm on my 22nd month of antibiotics and I have been through a living hell. I would not wish this on anyone, especially a child. Get that child some antibiotics and the sooner the better. Once the symptoms appear it is too late.
In some parts of New England 70-80% of the ticks are infected with Lyme. Not very good odds when you are bit. hatsnscarfs
Posted by metasequoia (Member # 9325) on :
My child had a bite, don't know if it was a tick. It was oval & pink, maybe an inch and a half wide & very itchy.
This was on a Friday. On Monday she took one dose of Zithromax (darn doctor.)
It's been about 5-6 weeks now & she hasn't had any symptoms of Lyme, WWYD?
Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :
Erin, did you read the responses to your post "Rash on 6 yr old"? I brought it back to the top.
Posted by Lymester (Member # 5848) on :
Find a doctor that knows how to treat a child. Be persistent. You are the parent.
When your kid gets zits, will you let him/her take tetracycline?
Treat. Diarrhea is common with any antibiotic, so be there for your child when this frustrating symptom occurs. This is far less a symptom than you will deal with should the lyme take hold.
Posted by newdurham77 (Member # 7815) on :
Thank you all for your replies!
Does anyone know the phone number for Dr. J? If you do, could you please private message it to me?
Thank yoU!
Posted by DJP (Member # 5893) on :
I listened to that advice when my daughter was 2 1/2 and got bit and had the bullseye rash.
It is two years later and she is still on antibiotics because within a week she was terribly ill.
I believe that if she had received treatment right away she would not have gotten so ill or needed treatment for so long.
Don't miss this window of opportunity to treat it right away!
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
You cannot wait! That is wrong advice! You must be treated for any known tick bite, save the tick, and be tested for co-infections. Keep the kids OUT OF THE woods and grass, protect and check them! I PM'd you Dr. J contact info.
Posted by ErinP (Member # 11300) on :
Wow! A few years ago I ha to remove a tick that jumped off our cat and landed on her bald head! I got it out properly and within minutes. The Ped. told me as long as it was under 24 hours than nothing could be transmitted. Yikes!! Should I have her testd now 3 years later? Her only symptoms are constipation with encopresis and excema.
Posted by david1097 (Member # 3662) on :
If it was my kid I would treat now. the IDSA says no, but I will bet $100 if it was one of their kids they would treat it aggresively. The only reason they say not to treat is that abx use for such "possible infections" is not "politically correct" by IDSA current doctrine.
Did they get the tick sample? It can be sent out for PCR testing. Then they will know its status for sure.
Also on the 24 hour transmission..... Well MAYBE that might be right for lyme on a statitical basis but what about all the other crap a tick can carry. If it bites it has already anesthitized the site and maybe even if lyme is not present in the saliva, there certainly are other pathogens that can live there. It might also be that the number of orgamisms that have been transmissted are too small to be detected using the infection verification technique that was used in the studies. I wouldn't panic but I also wouldn't leave it either.
Posted by valymemom (Member # 7076) on :
Treat immediately. Give appropriate dosages and give for the proper amount of time. It is a crime that we as parents have to seek a doctor out of state for treatment and appear obsessed and crazed to family and friends.
It is a crime that there is only one pediatrician who has experience and whom we can count on.
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
Treat doxy and flagyl now at least 6 weeks I would.
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Don't wait. Treat please.
I now have saved any ticks found and am taking them to the vet to be tested.
I still would treat.
I don't recall either of my children being bit by a tick, but had their pediatrician put them antibiotics for a month as soon as I was dx.
It certainly didn't hurt them.
It maybe over reactive, but sure does give me (some) peace of mind.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by jasonsmith (Member # 10914) on :
quote:Originally posted by treepatrol: Treat doxy and flagyl now at least 6 weeks I would.
Would Tinidmax be easier on the stomach than the Flagyle?
Posted by robi (Member # 5547) on :
This post is originally from June 2006. I wonder what happened.