While swatting at mosquitoes and trying not to scratch chigger bites, I’m reminded we also need to be checking for ticks. Tick checks were part of our daily routine when I was growing up – just how life is on the farm or if you like to fish and hunt, garden or just enjoy being outside.
If you’ve been outdoors, make sure you check the entire family (and your pets) for ticks. It isn’t hard to do and it should be routine.
Now, let’s get after those ticks!
Dress for Ticks & Wear an Insect Repellent: If you are heading out into potentially tick-infested areas, make sure you prepare! There’s no need to worry about making a fashion statement when tick bite prevention is important. Wear light colored clothing – ticks are easier to see. Wear long pants, sturdy shoes and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck the bottom of your pants into white socks can make it easier to see ticks and this will help keep ticks from crawling up your pants. Now of course, it isn’t always desirable to wear so much clothing on a hot, summer day, but if you are working outdoors or heading out to go fishing it makes sense to protect yourself.
Spray your clothing with an Insect Repellent containing DEET. Be sure to read all label directions especially if you want to use a repellent on a young child – take all precautions. For information on using insect repellents on young children, visit The American Academy of Pediatrics Web page on Insect Repellents or contact your physician. (Note: spraying your clothing with DEET will also give you some protection from chigger bites and mosquitoes).
Once you’ve come indoors:
Check your clothing: Ticks can grab or crawl onto our clothing and be carried into the house. If you find a tick, remove it and kill it (we just used pliers to crush them or a stone). Immediately wash your clothing. Running clothes through a dryer set on high heat for at least an hour effectively kills ticks.
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