Ticks: what they are, how to avoid them and what to do if you find one | Article

These bugs don’t have to spoil your summer outdoor activities

⭐️ HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ⭐️

• Ticks are small insects that can attach themselves to humans and animals.

• They can also spread germs and make you sick.

• Ticks are mainly found in tall grass during the hot summer months.

• Keep reading to learn how to prevent bites and stay safe. ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️

It’s summer, school is out and it’s hot.

Hiding in the tall grass near your campsite or in your family’s unmowed lawn, there could be some uninvited guests. Ticks!

Ticks are tiny insects that live on blood, including that of humans.

Besides being a nuisance, they can also spread germs that can make you sick.

CBC Kids News asked two Canadian experts for advice on how children can prevent tick bites and stay safe from infection.

What is a tick?

Ticks are small wingless insects

They are known as “external parasites”, which means that they cling to living things and feed on their blood.

Many types of ticks do not directly affect humans, as they more often feed on animals, including pets.

However, some can make people sick. They can transmit bacteria and viruses to humans through their bites.

One of these illnesses is Lyme disease.

In recent years, there has been an increase in reported cases, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Lyme disease is most common in south-central and southeastern Canada.

Western blacklegged ticks, left, and blacklegged ticks (deer ticks), right, look very similar. They can both spread Lyme disease. (Image credit: Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania, Agriculture Research Service/USDA/Scott Bauer)

The types of ticks that spread Lyme disease are the blacklegged tick (aka deer tick) and the western blacklegged tick. The two species are closely related, but are found in different parts of the country.

Eastern blacklegged ticks are more likely to spread Lyme than their western relatives.

Where to find ticks

The Public Health Agency of Canada monitors where the ticks that spread Lyme disease are.

According to their data, blacklegged ticks that spread Lyme disease are most commonly found in southern regions of Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec. They are also found in the Atlantic provinces, mainly in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Western blacklegged ticks are typically found in southern British Columbia.

Ticks especially like to be found in areas with tall grass, such as bushes and forests.

How to protect yourself from ticks

Here are some tips for avoiding ticks this summer, according to two experts: Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, and Dr. Mayank Singal, Disease Specialist at the British Columbia Center for Disease Control.

Tips to avoid ticks:

• Try to stay away from areas of tall grass, wooded areas, and shrubbery.

• Wear long sleeves and long pants.

• Tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks.

• Use insect repellent that says “DEET” or “Icardin” on it. These are known to be effective against ticks.

• Wear light-colored clothing, which will allow ticks to be seen better and keep you cooler than dark fabrics.

• Ask an adult to help you check for ticks after you go outside.

When doing a tick check, check both your body and your clothes.

Ticks can hide in hard-to-see areas. This illustration from the Nova Scotia Health Authority shows important things to check when you return from playing outdoors. (Image credit: Nova Scotia Health Authority)

Ticks are really small and can hide in unexpected places.

For example, Singal said he once brought in a young patient with a tick the size of a poppy seed in his navel.

“Ticks like to hide around your ears, on the back of your neck, in your elbows, and on the back of your knees,” Strang said. “Wherever your body wrinkles or bends, you should check for ticks!”

What to do if you find a tick

If you find a tick, you don’t need to panic.

“There’s not much to worry about because we can actually remove these ticks,” Singal said.

“We can also give [you] medicines to also treat infections.

Ticks don’t just bite. In fact, they embed themselves in the skin. That means you probably won’t be able to just eliminate them.

Singal said children should ask an adult they trust, such as a parent, to help them remove the tick with tweezers. If you need additional help, a medical professional, such as a family doctor, can remove it for you.

Healthcare professionals can send the tick to a lab to identify it and test it for germs.

Canadians can upload a photo of any ticks they find to a public database called etick. (Image credit: etick)

If you delete it at home, Singal recommends asking a parent or guardian to upload a photo to etick. Etick is a public online platform that works with universities and public health authorities across Canada to track and identify ticks.

Medicines are available to prevent and treat Lyme disease

If you find a tick or have been to an area where ticks are usually found and you begin to feel sick, see a doctor.

Typically, a tick needs to be attached to your body for more than 24 hours before it can make you sick, experts say.

That’s why Strang says “the sooner you find a tick, the better”.

If a tick has been on your body for more than 24 hours, there are still things you can do to avoid getting sick.

If you live in central or eastern Canada and find a blacklegged tick, it is very common to receive an antibiotic to prevent the spread of Lyme disease.

The best way to have the most accurate information on how to manage ticks in your area is to check your community’s public health guidelines.

Do you have any other questions? Want to tell us how we’re doing? Use the “Send us your feedback” link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

BEST PICTURE CREDIT: Sabrina Fabian/CBC, The Canadian Press