Tick Bite

[cheeseandjam]

DD had a tick on her neck 3 weeks ago. She picked it up from playgroup park as did another little boy the same day. They are a pretty rife in our area. Another mum offered to get it off with a circular motion using a wet wipe. It came off immediately and when I got home I looked at her neck with a magnifying glass and couldn't see anything. The next day or so later we noticed a small red bump but she is covered in insect bites so we weren't sure if this was the site of the tick bite or another insect bite near the tick bite. Anyway 3 weeks later there is still a red bump. It hasn't grown in size and there is no rash etc. Just wondered if anyone knows if this is common with tick bites? Do you think I need to see a GP?

[todayisnottheday]

She's had an unexplained bump for 3 weeks, possibly connected to a tic, possibly not - I'd pop to the gp either way tbh.

[LatinForTelly]

Yes, I'd pop to the gp too to be safe. I have been told (by a gp) that the thing to look out for primarily is a ringed rash round the site though, so hopefully if you haven't had that, your DD will be fine.

(And I'm sure you've googled by now, but rubbing in a circular motion with a wipe is not the best way to get a tick out. Best way is using tweezers (or even better, special blunt tick tweezers), although there seems to be disagreement between whether you twist, or just pull gently. I tend to pull gently nowadays. (DH has had 3 so far this year . DC luckily have avoided them so far.)

[whotheduckisalice]

We use our cat's tick comb! Very useful where I live. I would see a gp. I went with what looked like an infected bite, tho bigger than you describe and I was given antibiotics for Lyme disease.

[DikTrom]

In future maybe keep the tick you take off. You can buy small kits to check whether the tick carries Lyme disease and if so, you can then take the kit with the tick to the GP so the child can straight away be treated.

In your case I would phone your GP and ask for advice.

[DikTrom]

Tick test kit