posted
I apologize, I am usually not one to overreact and get hysterical. But as a person with untreated Lyme for 15+ years and counting, this was panic attack-inducing.
I found a tick on my toddler son tonight during his bath. It was attached, but not engorged. Probably a nymph, very tiny. There was a dark pink circle around the tick, which seemed to be gone an hour later when I put him to bed. The tick was likely attached for about three hours.
I should add that we live in southeastern CT, where Lyme disease was "discovered" and Lyme Disease is seemingly as prevalent as head colds here.
My husband is wary of asking the pediatrician for abx for our son, asking me if we will ask for abx for the kids every time we find a tick on them. (He is wonderfully supportive, just trying to keep me thinking clearly and help me to not overreact).
What do you think? Should I call the pediatrician tomorrow and ask for abx? Wait a week or so and see if my son has any symptoms (though he is mildly autistic and can't communicate with us)? I read Burrascano's guidelines and am leaning towards asking for abx based on the fact that my son is young and we live in SE CT. If yes, how much/how long/what abx should I ask for?
Thanks for your help!!!
-------------------- Untreated Lyme for 25+ years. Two kids, too much pain & fatigue, no hope of ever being able to treat. Posts: 310 | From Northeast | Registered: Mar 2010
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Tammy N.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26835
posted
I would definitely do the abx. And probiotics to balance out. Why take a chance? The sooner the better.
Posts: 2238 | From East Coast | Registered: Jul 2010
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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WPinVA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33581
posted
I have kids too so I understand the panic you must be feeling. You live in a hyper-endemic area, so I don't think taking abx for an attached tick is an overreaction at all.
Posts: 1737 | From Virginia | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
Thanks everyone, I think I will call the ped in the morning. So now the question is, what should I ask for? I do NOT trust this ped group to know this, so I want to go in prepared.
Reading Dr. B's guidelines, it looks like our only options (for a nearly-three-year old) are:
*Amoxicillin (our 6 year old daughter is allergic to this, chance our son could be too?)
*Cefuroxime axeti
*Augmentin (though it says nothing about being okay for toddlers, and it is recommended to be combined with amoxicillin).
Any suggestions? I'm going to keep searching here to see if anyone else has asked the same question in the past.
-------------------- Untreated Lyme for 25+ years. Two kids, too much pain & fatigue, no hope of ever being able to treat. Posts: 310 | From Northeast | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
Oh, and another question...(sorry! My mind is racing tonight.)
Since I didn't know I had Lyme & Co before I had my kids, there is obviously a chance that I passed it on to both of them.
So if my son does in fact have Lyme that is just dormant or not showing any symptoms at all, could taking an antibiotic for this tick bite "stir things up" and suddenly bring on symptoms of Lyme?!?
-------------------- Untreated Lyme for 25+ years. Two kids, too much pain & fatigue, no hope of ever being able to treat. Posts: 310 | From Northeast | Registered: Mar 2010
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
PM sent.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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Ellen101
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35432
posted
I went through this recently with my 11yr old. Pediatrician agreed to do a one time dose of doxy as a preventative. That was all. Her philosophy was similar to what your husband was saying. She will not treat every child that comes in with a tick bite a fulll course of abx. Her point was you could be treating the same child over and over with abx. She had some valid points and concerns and some of them I did agree with.
Posts: 1748 | From United States | Registered: Dec 2011
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tickled1
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14257
posted
Mamabear,
This is not to overwhelm you at an already stressful time but are you aware that Autism can be caused by Lyme? Could have been passed to him during pregnancy.
Also, are you familiar with MTHFR or the work of Dr. Amy Yasko? She has found pretty much that 100% of autistic children have methylation issues. This has also found to be huge for many with chronic Lyme and that addressing it can bring huge improvement.
Posts: 2541 | From Northeast | Registered: Jan 2008
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