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Steps to take immediately after discovering a deer tick bite, plus how to boost the immune system to fight the potential for #Lyme disease, from #MixWellness.

My Kid Got Bit By a Deer Tick…Now What?

8 Comments

So it happened. After reading about it, hearing about it, stressing about it, and praying it would never happen to us, it did. After running around the backyard in the buck (her, not us), we found a deer tick embedded in the precious little booty of my 2-year-old.

This happened over the summer, and with life as crazy as it is, I’m just now sitting down to share the 5-step protocol we used to reduce the chances that she’d contract Lyme disease.

The upside was that we found it EARLY – and, more than likely, the damn thing didn’t have a ton of time to wreak havoc in her sweet little body. But, we were still very cautious about our next steps and did our very best to prevent Lyme disease.

We were freaked out for good reason – where we live in the Northeast has one of the highest rates of Lyme Disease, infecting at least 5,500 residents a year in our home state of Massachusetts and likely many more. Adding insult to injury, the hellacious winter that we had last year, gave those little bastards insulation from the super low temperatures, so they emerged ready to sink their teeth into anything with a pulse. {source}

And worst of all, our sweet little papillon, Sami died from Lyme Nephritis last summer, so we were on super high alert.

Of course, not all deer ticks are infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. And a tick that is infected has to be attached to a person’s skin for at least 24-48 hours before it can transmit that bacteria. Since we were working under the assumption that it had NOT been attached to her for that length of time, we had a good head start.

So what did we do?

IMMEDIATE STEPS

Well, first things first – we removed the tick, making sure not to detach the tick’s head from its body. This is a super-easy-to-follow tutorial for how to safely remove a deer tick.

Next, we saved it in a plastic bag, in the event symptoms started to emerge we could have it tested. We’d at least have a definitive diagnosis.

Then, I cleaned the area where she was bit with castile soap and water, dried the area, and then made a quick salve with one drop of Thieves Essential Oil Blend and ¼ teaspoon of coconut oil and applied it to the area that she was bit. Thieves Essential Oil Blend has amazing purifying properties and can also help to support a healthy immune system – a total 2-fer. This is where I buy Thieves at wholesale.

NEXT STEPS

Over the next seven days, my goal was to boost her little immune system to do everything it could to fight the potential for Lyme.

Like with almost any disease, the immune system is critical in treating Lyme disease and its coinfections. Since turning back the clock to prevent the bite in the first place was not an option, this 5-step immune-boosting protocol was our only strategy.

  1. thievesThieves Essential Oil Blend: I can’t say enough how I love love love my essential oils. They’ve changed our lives in so many ways, and natural immune system support certainly tops the list. This is a blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary that is known best for it’s ability to support the immune system and purify the environment. I diffused it around the clock in my home diffuser and then applied it diluted (a LOT – it’s a very strong blend) to the soles of her feet three times a day.
  2. Body Nourishing Bone Broth: This magic tonic is my “go-to” year round, but particularly during times of compromised immunity. Read all about the benefits of bone broth and why you need this stuff in your life here. I had her drink about 2 cups a day of this goodness. Fortunately, she loves it and gladly drinks it through a straw (like this one) daily, so this was an easy one.
  3. Cod Liver Oil: This old school remedy for resilient health still reigns in the world of traditional medicine. It’s received a bad wrap for, let’s face it, its fishy flavor, but that’s no reason to omit it from your regimen. Besides essential omega-3 fatty acids, it also contains immunity-boosting vitamins A and D. She takes it everyday, so I just kept up with her daily dose of about 1 tsp. This is a good, affordable brand that isn’t too fishy-tasting.
  4. Elderberry SyrupElderberry syrup - part of our immune-boosting protocol in the wake of a deer tick bite: Elderberries are a rich source of vitamins A and C, which are crucial in helping the body maintain optimal health. Plus, the bioflavonoids in elderberry syrup boost the body’s immune system by increasing antioxidant levels and viruses that damage cell walls. If you’re feeling really ambitious, make your own elderberry syrup with this recipe. If you’re not, here’s a good quality organic supplement sold in glass.
  5. Probiotics: Your gut contains a whopping 70% of your immune system function. How? The mucosal lining in your intestines is quite literally the direct physical barrier to pathogenic organisms trying to invade your body. Probiotics are naturally found in foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, tempeh, kombucha, or beet kvass, amongst many other delicious options. I loaded her up with homemade kraut and raw milk yogurt – her two favorite probiotic-rich foods, in addition to a small scoop of these raw probiotics for kids.

Many kids who have Lyme disease develop a red rash at the site of the tick bite, which sometimes has a characteristic “bull’s-eye” appearance. Based on what Dr. Google had to say, in the week or two after the tick bite, you want to look for an expanding ring of solid redness or a red bump surrounded by clear skin that is ringed by an expanding red rash. The rash may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle and joint aches.

We were on high alert during that time. Fortunately, the suggested two weeks had passed without symptoms – so we were in the clear.

Truth be told, it was one of the most frightening times as a parent and a SERIOUS wake-up call to religiously do several daily tick checks – especially when outdoor play has ruled the day.

Now it’s your turn. Tell me, have you ever had a scare like that? If so, how did you handle it? I’d love to hear! Please leave a comment below.

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Related

✂️ Cut Out the Wellness Noise

I personally promise not to send you wasteful spammy emails. 🚫✉️

When I send an email, I AM sharing my knowledge on Essential Oils, Cutting out Sugar, Detoxing, DIY, and so much more to help you on your wellness journey. 🥗🧶🌍

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription. ✉️

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

If I don't deliver value, tell me what I can do to deliver you 10x the value than the "other lady". Powered by ConvertKit

Filed Under: Essential Oils, Parent, Tips Tagged With: Bone Broth, Cod Liver Oil, deer tick, Elderberry Syrup, essential oils, lyme, lyme disease, nature, parenting, playtime, probiotics, thieves oil, tick, tick cure

Comments

  1. Cris says

    October 29, 2015 at 3:41 pm

    Thanks for including my Elderberry Syrup recipe! Great info about ticks, too. :) As a hiker, I thank you!

    Reply
  2. Titus2-mom says

    November 12, 2015 at 5:38 pm

    A relative of mine has Lyme. Some facts that everyone needs to know: Only about 50% of people that get Lyme have ANY side effects in the first few months! You must be treated with some type of antibiotic immediately! I am NOT a fan of antibiotics and it’s probably been15 – 20 years since I have had any. But if I had a tick in me I would take them. It is your only hope of not contracting it. Once you get it you will always have it! You may go for periods of time without symptoms but they will return. This is a very serious disease, your only hope is to act quickly. And always have the tick tested immediately as well.

    Reply
  3. Linda Gifford says

    March 6, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    A tick can spread Lyme in less than 24-48 hours. It just needs a chance to regurgitate its stomach contents. Not everyone develops a bullseye rash, many do not. Also the infection can lay dormant in the body for years. Also, the immune system may fight the infection on its own, but under addition physical or emotional stress symptoms may appear.system may

    Reply
  4. Tiffany says

    March 30, 2016 at 11:46 pm

    Just took my daughter in today to have what I believed to be a deer tick. The dr removed but was 100% sure it was NOT a deer tick And in the process of removing it, it broke into 3 pieces which she refused to keep. At the time I believed she would know better then me. After we left something didn’t sit right with me. I started researching deer ticks and I am 99% it WAS a deer tick. So now I’m kicking myself for not keeping it. It was clearly there for a day or 2, or atleast it looked that way to me by the look of the area it was found. So now what do I do? I know the syptoms to look for but I feel like I should be more proactive but can’t afford to get all the things listed above. I can’t sleep now because I feel like I failed my daughter.

    Reply
    • Cj says

      June 23, 2017 at 5:56 pm

      Antibiotics!

      Reply
  5. Lynn says

    March 2, 2017 at 5:08 pm

    Just returned from a GA Island that is very known for ticks. We used deep woods, skin so soft and dryer sheets in our hats. Been home 2 days and found a tick embedded in me “where the sun don’t shine”, as they say. I got it out; hopefully all of it. Have it in a biggie to get tested. How it got there I have no idea. Figured it would be on my arm or leg of neck if I got one. I too use oils. Cleaned the area well and will begin your regime. Thieves. Love it. Praying for the best results.

    Reply
  6. Daniela Patricia Daniel says

    July 6, 2017 at 12:27 pm

    I live in China. My daughter is 12 yo and she went to Thailand for an outdoor activity week with her school. When I went to pick her up at the airport she complained of ear pain. I looked and I found I very small tick stuck in her earlobe. She said she fell pain one day before as she couldn’t sleep because can’t touch the ear on the pillow. I took her immediately to the hospital, they removed the tick, cleaned it out but the doctor seemed not understanding when I told him it was a tick. He asked me “flea”, “bee” and I think he didn’t get it. I don’t speak chinese and he didn’t speak english so it was a nightmare. Anyway, he prescribed amoxicillin just in case the next day her ear starts to get red. I went home and started to research as I as freaking out. I read many articles saying if you give antibiotics before 72 hours after the bite the risks to get lyme disease is very low. So I decided by myself to started a course of amoxicillin at the same day. So she is taking the antibiotics and I am giving her vitamin C and probiotics to boost her immunity as well. Today is the 6th day after the removal of the tick and when medication started. No rash, no fever until now but she still feeling so much pain in her ear. Do you think is it normal? How long for the pain goes away?
    I am still freaking out and can’t sleep….what should I do now?

    Reply
  7. Mrs. Eaton says

    April 14, 2018 at 8:58 pm

    My 17 month old twin son just got bit by a deer tick last night in his right tricep. My husband and I tried all the remedies we could remember as I was in a frantic tizzy! We tried the rubbing alcohol soaked cotton ball (in which I think killed it), then we tried the dish soap cotton ball and no movement of the little bast$@&! We finally pulled it out with tweezers, we got the whole thing out head and all! We put ALOT of rubbing alcohol on it after we removed the tick. Now we wait. I gave them baths last night and this morning when getting them out of their PJ’s I didn’t see anything…I assume it has only been in him maybe 10 hrs the most. I’m just really scared and nervous now.

    Reply

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