Did one right before bath--found a "dog tick" that had just attached behind her ear. I know it wasn't there three hours ago.
Am waiting for the pediatrician to call back--what should I insist on?
Please--need help asap!!! Thanks!
*Edit* She's only three. And when I pulled off the tick there was no blood--the head came out clean with a bit of skin attached. But no blood.
Posts: 237 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jan 2008
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Alv
Unregistered
posted
I would sent my kid to DR J in CT!
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
I'd want 400 mg of doxy for 2 months, plus possibly a macrolide
Can you get to an LLMD? Dr. J would be great, as he's a
pediatrician, and
what I've
described is a treatment for adults that would most likely be
posted
Thanks Alv--we already have an appt to see him in August, just because I wanted to have him take a look at our children and make sure they were okay. Unfortunately, I don't think I can get her in to see him tomorrow. I do plan on calling his office tomorrow to see what he would suggest, though I know he can't treat her.
Still waiting for pediatrician to call...
Posts: 237 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
Adamm--we cross-posted. I don't think you can give doxy to young children, it stains their teeth permanently or something to that effect.
I actually have a call into my llmd, waiting for him to call back as well. I know he doesn't treat kids but any feedback at this point is welcome.
Uh, I hate this...
*Edit*--sorry Adamm, missed that you said that was for adults. I'm a bit of a mess at the moment.
Posts: 237 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jan 2008
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
My daughter was on zithromax for Lyme prior to an allergic reaction.
This may be a viable alternative.
This was taken daily.
Good luck.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Turned out we are having issues with our phone (we don't allow blocked #'s and usually if a caller with one calls they get a prompt to leave their name but it's not working--ped. had to unblock his #--he'd been trying all evening to call us.)
He was very understanding and agreed to three weeks of amoxicillin, this based on just the dog tick bite and no other symptoms, which I think for a regular ped. is pretty reasonable.
I plan on calling Dr. J's office to see if I can get my daughter's appt. moved up, but in the meantime at least this is something. I can't get her started on the amoxycillin until tomorrow (I wish I had it right now!) but I feel at least I can breathe a little bit now.
Maybe this is why I got this disease--so at least I can try my best to make sure my kids don't get it. There are no guarantees I know, but if this had been a year ago I don't think I would have done anything. In fact, I know I wouldn't have.
Thanks for your help everyone --it really helps to have someone to sound things off of, especially at a time like this.
Posts: 237 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jan 2008
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In my son's case, he was diagnosed after running high fevers for 9 days, then he developed over 20 em rashes all over his body.
When we learned about the symptoms of lyme, we were able to track definate symptoms (falling asleep at the lunch table in preschool) for a few months before the fevers, and possible symptoms dating back a full year (some behavioral changes and encopresis).
I say this because based on the multiple rashes and probable time of onset, lyme was pretty fully deseminated at the time of dx.
Thus, I'm not sure his response to medication would be the same as that of a child that had just been infected.
if you are asking if ceftin did the trick, it's much more complicated than that, due to the degree of dissemination, in addition to coinfections which had the opportunity to settle in.
In the case of your child, I would talk to your llmd, find out if he/she feels that a course of abx is appropriate, as you found an attached tick, removed it shortly after attachment, and were able to remove the tick intact.
In the event that your llmd feels that abx is the right way to go, then to my knowledge the medications used are amox, or ceftin if allergic to amox.
I can fully understand your concern!!! and do not know that any harm can be done by using abx in a prophalactic manner in such a situation.
But I am not a doc, I'm just a mom who's been down that road, so to speak.
I wish you the best, and I hope that this at least kind of sort of answered your question.
I just read your last post (I just cruised right past it when I saw your question to me!!)
I'm impressed that your pedi is going to do the 3 weeks of amox, mine wouldn't no way no how.
(I'm looking for a new one!!)
anyway, I guess that answered the question of 'will the doc treat?'
I'm happy for you, this will give you some peace of mind and time to work things out if your child starts to show some sx and you need to treat further.
Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
Just confused because I didn't think you treat just because you have a tick on you...
Those of us in endemic areas get lots of ticks. I have pulled countless ticks off my kids, and know there will be more. I had never heard of treating just because you have a tick bite, with no rash or symptoms.
I don't call the doctor unless there are some symptoms. Should we really treat just because there is a tick attached? Maybe the answer is yes but this is one I've never heard before.
Living in New England, you are going to get ticks on you. Doing tick checks and removing them, and doing the best prevention, is what we do.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
Also very surprised people would recommend a visit to an LLMD just because you had a tick on you. Doesn't that seem like overkill, with no symptoms or evidence of disease?
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Dear Tracy,
I wish I had seen the tick that got me.
However, that being said, as a Mother of two young children with Lyme,
I would insist on at least 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy upon finding a tick on my children.
Overkill? Maybe.
I would much rather be safe than sorry.
Especially when it comes to my most precious gifts from God.
I wouldn't take any tick attachment lightly.
Yes, ticks are very common where I live.
Lyme is also common with 11/12 people diagnosed with Lyme in less than a quarter of a mile.
I have always been aggressive about my children's health care.
More so now knowing what I know.
This is just my very humble opionion as a Mother who just wouldn't be willing
To take any chances.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Lymemommy--thanks for the reply! I know your situation is different than mine, but I really value your sharing your experience. I hope your son is doing much better now.
yan--thanks for the suggestion but I don't think there's any way I could have gotten my child to chew on raw garlic, no matter how stern I could have gotten. It would have turned into a nightmare. But I do appreciate your concern and suggestion and if a similar situation arises again for me with an adult I'll be sure to mention your suggestion until they can get some antibiotics.
Tracy--I understand your confusion and I know you are only asking questions and not trying to be adversarial. The reason I was insistent on antibiotics is because if my child is anything like me (and she may not be, but I'm not willing to chance it) she may never get a rash. She may never get a fever. My first symptoms were neurological--numbness, tingling, twitching--things that a young child, even an articulate one, might have difficulty in conveying. And if those were her first symptoms, then we are already talking about neurological involvement and that's what I am trying to head off.
I am glad you are comfortable with how you manage ticks and lyme prevention--that's all any of us can do, is find what we think works best for our families without living in a bubble and taking it from there. I appreciate your thoughts on the subject and hopefully by the time our kids are grown they'll be able to take three days worth of "LymeBGone" and that'll be the end of it.
Geneal--what you said.
Xtine--yes, I do still have the tick. I need to find out exactly how I get it sent out for testing.
Posts: 237 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jan 2008
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
Nope--not overkill at all, IMO. There are sooo many different
pathogens in the tick population (rmsf, ehrlichia, babs, bart,
borellia ,mycoplasma, brucella, tuilaremia, q-fever, and tick typhus,
to
name a few) that it really seems like an essential precaution to me.
It's not uncommon for hunters to carry doxy with them
when they go out, from what I understand...
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As I read your post, I glanced at the pamphlet my LLMD gave me with Tick Testing Lab info.
-IGeneX Labs, Palo Alto, CA (800)832-3200 -MDL, Hamilton, NJ (877) 269-0900 -NJ Labs, New Brunswick, NJ (732) 249-0148
Instructions: -Save tick alive if possible -Place in airtight container -Put in with moist cottonball (no alcohol) -Send with check to tick testing lab
I guess they list phone #'s to get the correct fee. It sounds like you've gotten things under control.
carly
Posts: 797 | From New York | Registered: Feb 2008
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Thanks Carly! I appreciate the info and will bookmark this so I have it for the future. I spoke with the staff at Dr. J's office and they requested that I send the tick directly to them, but you never know when I might need the info you gave me.
I've never sent a live bug (okay, arachnid) before. Guess there's a first time for everything.
Does anyone know how harsh amoxicillin is on your intestinal flora? The pediatrician suggested opening a capsule of Culturelle into milk or something and giving that to her--I thought I'd make sure she has yogurt everyday.
I take Theralac but I think the whole point of Theralac is that in the capsule form it makes it safely to your intestines and there's no way I'd be able to get my child to swallow a capsule. Any ideas for promoting good intestinal flora for a young child would be appreciated. Thanks!
Posts: 237 | From Rhode Island | Registered: Jan 2008
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You can put some probiotics into food (yogurt), and if your child won't eat that, or becomes resistant, there are chewables. (nature's Way, probiotics).
Our doc prefers the one's that go into the food, but my son refused (adamently) to take them that way after a while. The chewables seem to work just fine.
tickled1
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14257
posted
I have also heard about hunters using prophylactic abx. A good idea for ANYONE who gets a tick bite. Definitely not overkill. I think something in the Doxy family is best b/c I believe it covers the most co-infections as well. I think Zithromax is ok for kids???
Posts: 2541 | From Northeast | Registered: Jan 2008
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I don't think you can give doxy to young children, it stains their teeth permanently or something to that effect. ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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--it really helps to have someone to sound things off of, especially at a time like this.
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