Once again, it’s ‘that time of year’. The time for ticks and other seasonal health issues. Globally, Covid-19 or the novel coronavirus, is at the center of health inquiry and debate, and rightly so, but that does not mean that seasonal health issues go away. As the weather gets nicer and people spend more time outdoors, these seasonal subjects come up often and Lindenhurst Family Practice is here to help provide information and answer questions. Especially during spring in the midwest (April and May), ticks are hatching and very active. Protective clothing and tick repellant spray are proactive ways to enjoy the outdoors and prevent tick bites. It is important to check your body and clothing for ticks after spending time outdoors and where ticks are active such as forest preserves, tall grassy areas, brush piles etc. as it is best to remove a tick before it has a chance to attach to the body. “Because 24 to 48 hours of attachment to the host are required for infection to occur, early removal can help prevent disease” (AAFP.org). If you find or remove an attached tick, it is very important to note what type of tick it is, where it was attached and even if you are unsure, to contact your healthcare provider right away to prevent tick born disease. Your provider can help identify tick type and whether or not treatment is necessary. 

Top tick tips:

1. Wear enclosed shoes or boots, long-sleeved shirts and tuck pant legs into shoes or boots to prevent ticks from crawling up legs.
2. Use an insect repellent containing 20-30 % DEET (***NOT for use on children under three***).
3. Spray clothes with insect repellent containing Permethrin. 
4. Wear light colored clothing to see ticks more easily.
5. Keep long hair pulled back or tucked in a cap.
6. Check for ticks regularly, both indoors and outdoors, after spending time in tick infested areas.

For more information visit: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/