Boy, your child's freckles really stand out in the sun — but
wait, that one looks like it's moving! It isn't a freckle at
all. It's a tick. What should you do? First, don't panic. It's
true that Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in
the United States, but your child's risk of developing Lyme
disease after being bitten by a tick is very low. To be safe,
though, you'll want to remove the tick as soon as possible
because risk of infection increases between 24 to 72 hours after
the tick attaches to the skin. One note of caution: don't use
petroleum jelly or a hot match to kill and remove a tick. These
methods don't get the tick off your skin, and can cause the
insect to burrow deeper and release more saliva (which increases
the chances of disease transmission). Reviewed by: Elana Pearl
Ben-Joseph, MD Date reviewed: May 2010 ||Note: All information
is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2010 The
Nemours Foundation/KidsHea