Summer is all about spending time outdoors. From family camping trips, picnics, summer camp and more, kids are often running around outside a lot. Summer is also the time when insects and bugs are thriving and ready to bite, including ticks.
Lyme disease and other tick-born diseases are preventable with the proper precautions. You can keep your child safe this summer with the following tick-prevention and removal tips:
- Appropriate Clothing: Maximum clothing coverage is important. Ticks live in moist and humid environments, particularly in or near wooded or grassy areas. If you know your children will be playing in areas known to have ticks ensure they wear long pants, a long sleeved shirt and a hat if possible.
- Use Insect Repellent: A good insect repellent is a must. Use deet-free insect repellent like this one my contributor had a chance to review last spring.
- Re-sealable bags: After little ones return from spending time outside ensure that all of their clothing is placed inside of a re-sealable bag. Put them in the dryer as soon as you get home to kill ticks.
- Bath or Shower: Upon their return from any outdoor adventure give little ones a bath/shower and inspect them carefully, ticks are small and difficult to see. Do a full body check and wash their hair and inspect their head. We use tear free, hypoallergenic Kandoo 2 in 1 Shampoo and Kandoo Bubble Bath because they are free of sulfates, parabens or phthalates.
- Carry a Pair of Tweezers: Removal of ticks should be done with fine-tipped tweezers, carry a pair of tweezers with you when going camping or any other outdoor adventures. If you find a tick ensure you get the whole tick and clean the area with soapy water or rubbing alcohol to prevent any infection.
Remember that prevention and protection is better than treatment!
Do you have any other tips to avoid ticks and deal with them?
19 Comments on “Tips to Protect Your Child From Ticks This Summer”
Thanks for the tips, some great information. I will share with my daugther!
We will be going camping next week and I loved all the tips. I will not forget the tweezers now!
I am glad that you wrote this post, these are such dangerous little beasts, more so than they used to be I’m sure. A little reminder never hurts 🙂
those are great tips
always great to be reminded! I’m going to get some tweezers to have on hand while out and about…..ya just never know!
I also hear spraying yourself (around ankles) with tea tree oil keep ticks away.
Thanks for the tea tree oil tip
These are some great tips–I’ve already found one tick on my son this summer, and I sure hope I don’t find any more!
Thanks for the tips,ticks are so creepy
Excellent tips! Ticks are no joke and they make my skin crawl, ugh!
Awesome tips! Thanks for sharing. I’m absolutely petrified of those yucky bugs.
Thats a lovely photo of your son
You have posted some great information ,we all need to be aware of these creepy ticks
Didnt know the dryer trick. Interesting!
I am so scared of ticks i try to stay away from hot areas
I’ve just watched a video from an expert how to remove a tick. Here they say pull straight up whereas in Germany they always said to twist it whilst pulling it out, I can’t remember now whether they said clockwise or anti-clockwise.
Excellent tips,i dont think we have any where i live but they sure are creepy looking nasty bugs
That dryer tip is great,thanks for sharing
Thanks for the tips. We are always careful in the grass.
This is a scary subject so I am glad to hear of these tips so that I know what to do.I have never heard of PiActive bug spray but will be checking it out for sure.