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Tick Bite

Description

  • A tick (small brown bug) is attached to the skin
  • A tick recently was removed from the skin

The wood tick (dog tick) is the size of a watermelon seed and can sometimes transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Colorado tick fever. The deer tick is between the size of a poppy seed (pin head) and an apple seed, and can sometimes transmit Lyme disease.

After feeding on blood, both ticks become quite swollen and easy to see. The bite is painless and doesn't itch, so ticks may go unnoticed for a few days.

Ticks eventually fall off on their own after sucking blood for 3 to 6 days.

See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one)

If not a tick bite, see Insect Bites.

When to Call Your Doctor for Tick Bite

Call Your Doctor Now If:

  • Your child looks or acts very sick
  • You can't remove the tick
  • You can't remove tick's head that broke off in the skin. (Note: if the removed tick is moving, it was completely removed)
  • Widespread rash occurs 2 to 14 days following the bite
  • Fever or severe headache occurs 2 to 14 days following the bite
  • Bite looks infected (red streaking from the bite area, yellow drainage). (Note: infection doesn't start until at least 24 to 48 hours after the bite)

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours If:

  • You think your child needs to be seen
  • Red-ring or bull's eye rash occurs around a deer tick bite. (Lyme disease rash begins 3 to 30 days after the bite)
  • Probable deer tick and it was attached for more than 24 hours (or tick appears swollen, not flat)

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Hours If:

  • You have other questions or concerns

Home Care (Read "Call Your Doctor…" first):

Reassurance

Most tick bites are harmless. The spread of disease by ticks is rare.

Tick Removal

  • Use a tweezers and grasp the wood tick close to the skin (on its head)
  • Pull the wood tick straight upward without twisting or crushing it
  • Maintain a steady pressure until it releases its grip
  • If tweezers aren't available, use fingers, a loop of thread around the jaws, or a needle between the jaws for traction
  • Tiny deer ticks need to be scraped off with a knife blade or credit card edge
  • Note: covering the tick with petroleum jelly, nail polish, or rubbing alcohol doesn't work. Neither does touching the tick with a hot or cold object

Tick's Head

If the wood tick's head breaks off in the skin, remove it:

  • Clean the skin with rubbing alcohol
  • Use a sterile needle to uncover the head and lift it out
  • If unsuccessful, call your doctor

Antibiotic Ointment

Wash the wound and your hands with soap and water after removal to prevent catching any tick disease. Apply antibiotic ointment to the bite once.

Expected Course

Tick bites normally don't itch or hurt. That's why they often go unnoticed.

Prevention

When hiking in tick-infested areas, wear long clothing and tuck the ends of the pants into the socks. Apply an insect repellent to shoes and socks.

Permethrin products applied to clothing are more effective than DEET products against ticks. See Insect Bites for details.

Call Your Doctor If:

  • You can't remove the tick or the tick's head
  • Fever or rash in the next 2 weeks
  • Bite begins to look infected
  • Your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor…" symptoms

Parent Care for Pediatric Symptoms. Copyright 2000-2009.