Topic: HELP! 2 year old with tick attached in endemic area
trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
My sister's 2 year old had a tick attached to his calf today. She removed the tick properly with tweezer and wiped with rubbing alcohol. It was probably attached for a few hours. She saved the tick, but doesnt know what type it was. she says "it was VERY small." So we are fearing the worst.
She lives in CHESTER COUNTY PA!!!!! Super endemic.
I dont live close, so I cant see the tick.
No rash yet.
She is calling pediatrician in the morning. Gave her Dr B's guidelines.
Told her to take photos of any rash that appears anywhere on him. TOld her to take his temp throughout day too.
Pediatrician is somewhat lyme literate---he suspected lyme in her friend who had recurrent goopy red eye.
We are HOPING he prescribes without a fight.
BUT---the kid is allergic to amoxy!!! and penecillin. ug. So I am not sure what else he can take!
Anything else we should do?
I am reovering from surgery---so I am a bit spacey and not able to get to the computer much.
Thanks everyone. Trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
Hello Trails, I too am allergic to penicillin and amoxicillin.
The doctors gaven my daughter and I both Zithromax. She isn't allergic to the above meds her LLMD just prefers to use Zith. Your nephew should be fine using the Zith if he needs it.
Posts: 911 | Registered: Mar 2005
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My brother's family also lives in Chester County. I agree to send the tick for testing. Dr. B mentioned the importance of this at the rally.
The lyme pediatrician in that area has an 11 month waiting list. How does one get around that???
My daughter is also on Zith.
Posts: 263 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2006
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Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
Trails, glad you are able to help your sister out.
I don't have a lot of faith in tick testing, even though it's recommended and I did it myself recently with daughter's attached tick last year. (IGeneX said tick was negative.)
Daughter continued to have problems (painful knees) and a western blot came back CDC positive for lyme. Was it THAT tick? Another tick? Who knows.
So, I agree with prophylactic dose of antibiotic regardless of outcome of tick testing.
Good luck to your little nephew...
How ya feeling?
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
We're in Chester County also and are on the pediatric LLMD's list. Meanwhile we're going to another doctor recommended here who is in Central NJ. If the pediatrician is willing to go along with Dr. B's recommendations, I'd stick with them and get any bloodwork done through them, though using IGeneX as the lab. If they're willing to be teachable, teach them, KWIM?
My pedi wouldn't hear anything about Lyme in my 10yo since she "properly treated" her last year when she was bitten and she definitely wasn't prescribing preventative abx for my 8yo who was bitten 2 weeks ago. Guess who's leaving that pediatrician's office? We've gotten both girls on abx from my personal physician who is much more progressive in her approach to Lyme.
-------------------- Getting older is when we would rather not have a good time than have to get over it. - Oscar Wilde Posts: 386 | From Radnor, PA - where the ticks run free | Registered: May 2006
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
Thank you all so so so much!
Can someone PM me about the name and contact number of the pediatrician in chester county? Is the one who recently wrote in Lymetimes?
She would like to get him on the waiting list.
Michelle---yeah, we KNOW that the tick could come back negative and that would mean NOTHING, but if it comes positive then it could mean lots....so who knows.
Dont know what the local pediatrician has said yet.....I am more nervous about this than my own friggin rocky recovery! Trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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lymemomtooo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5396
posted
Done..Good luck. lymemomtooo
ps..also sorry..In the pm, I said your niece..Tell him I am sorry...
Posts: 2360 | From SE PA | Registered: Mar 2004
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
HELP!!!
Pediatrician WONT treat prophylactically!!!
Said "there are too many different types of ticks and not all of them carry lyme"
I am so upset I can barely see straight....or os that the pain meds??
The tick is completely black and so tiny that they said you need a microscope to see any details of it.
HELLOOOOOOOO????? If that is not a phymphal deer tick what IS?
The doc will only treat if rash appears at site.
Are there any PARTIALLY lyme literate docs in SE penn???
I am so angry. How could these docs not treat children who could be sick for the REST of their LIVES!!!!!!!
Thanks for letting me press the exlimation point so very much!
anyone who has any doc or any things we could do please pm me or post. Trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 773
posted
Consider a moist activated charcoal dressing on the area.
Get activated charcoal...GNC carries...cheap...
Moisten a 4x4 gauze pad and very carefully (over a sink) sprinkle some activated charcoal on the pad. You will be opening a gelatin capsule...It is a very, very fine very messy powder.
Apply the pad to the area where the tick attachment was.
Cover it with a plastic type of food wrap (to keep it moist). Keeping it moist will help it to be absorbed INTO the skin.
Put paper tape over the whole thing to hold it in place for several hours.
The skin will be black when it is removed. It will wear away, but you can scrub some off.
I used a solution of Oxy-Clean on my skin to remove the left-over "greyness" when I got bit by some bug I did not see when gardening.
I am very allergic to bug bites/stings. I had absolutely no reaction to the bite/sting after doing this.
Activated charcoal absorbs toxins.
I am not a doctor, but this is what I would do in that case as a "first aid" of sorts.
Until the Rx...focusing on foods that contain Mg will be very helpful:
posted
Is she allergic to oxygen? Have her call me if she is interested...
Julia
-------------------- Please consult your LLMD before making any changes to your treatment regimen. Posts: 641 | From NJ, USA | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
How about identifying the tick yourself. I'm suprised the doctor didn't do this. Shame on her!! If she is willing to say there are lots of ticks, not all carry Lyme, then she should be able to identify the tick.
Do a google search on tick identification. You may need to get a magnifying glass to make sure what kind of tick it is if the tick is a hard tick.
It won't tell you if this tick is infected, but we should all be able to identify ticks. The next time this kind of thing comes around, the doctor will end up looking like an idiot, while you'll sound like an entimologist.
Good luck, keep hope, and fight until you win!
Posts: 559 | From Cary, NC | Registered: May 2006
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I pm'ed you with some possible lyme docs for children and some other suggestions.
Posts: 263 | From Georgia | Registered: Feb 2006
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
Lymescience---Oh if I were ONLY THERE!!! I am on the west coast while they are on the east. Plus the mom (my sis) is flying out on travel and leaving her little one with the grandparents who are FAR from pro-active.
I am trying to get my other sis to get a good photo of the tick so I can get it up here and we'll see what everyone thinks. I really doubt it could be anything but a nymphal deer tick. They said it was about the size of a pin head, and totally black with no marks that they could make out. I KNOW where he was bit---deer there all year round, munching on the rhodadenruns.
I am going to talk to the dad tonight and convince him to make an appointment with one of the docs that others have PM'd me about.
Also my own west coast LLMD is willing to talk to the idiot pediatrician if he calls him. Wish I were a fly on the wall for THAT conversation!
Julia---the one that was bit was a 2 year old boy. HBOT doesnt seem like it should be the first line of defense in such a young one as prophylaxisis. I could be wrong though.
Thanks again everyone!
Keep the suggestions coming and I will keep you all updated! Trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 773
posted
Increasing oxygen is not a bad idea either!
Carol
Posts: 6956 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
Here's the update: my sis called and talked with the pediatrician (duck) and he explained to her the camp a, camp b thing and said that if he gave abx to every kid who came in with a tick bite he'd give out more abx than lollipops.
My sis didnt say anything but told me that she wanted to say "If my kid has motor problems and speech problems and temper tantrums in the next few months I'll see your @ss in court!"
Instead she said thanks and hung up. She knows there is NO arguing with ducks like that. She has learned from her big sis trails.
She is now away on business and her husband is going to call one of the lyme aware (but not quite LLMD) docs that was rec to us. The LLMDs all have VERY long waiting lists and some of their initial fees are $3,000!!! Anything for this kid, but that is a lot to ask for prophylactic abx for a tick bite, dont you think?
We are hoping the lyme aware doc will order abx. We are also monitoring his temp, his skin for ANY rash and will send the tick to igenex.
If anything new happens will let you all know! I am so so so so glad I have this group to turn to. My sister is also very grateful to all of you who wrote and rec'd docs and things to do!
with deepest gratitude, Trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
The little boy--William was having an ear infection BEFORE he went to the pediatrician yesterday to also be seen about the tick bite. The pediatrician said the ear infection was just some allergies and precsribed something over the counter that was never given to him.
Today he woke up pulling at his ears and he has a worsening ear infection. The grandmom took him to the pediatrician and he precribed omnicef!!!!!
MIRACLE!!!!!
So he is on ABX now for 10 days.
Of course I know about the correlation between ear infections and lyme, but the duck wont hear it at all.
I am trying to work on my sis to get her to still take him to another doc for more abx after this round, but I think she thinks this would be enough.
Will keep you updated! Trails
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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We've gotten both girls on abx from my personal physician who is much more progressive in her approach to Lyme.
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
and precsribed something over the counter that was never given to him. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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