GainesvilleMoms.com

We just got back from the campground at Paynes Prairie visiting some friends for the evening and found about 10 ticks combined on all of us when we got home. This is so new to me! Do you check your kids for them every time they come in from playing outside? Is Lyme disease common here? Our house backs up to some woods (although we only have 2 trees in our backyard). Should I be more careful??

I don't know about lyme disease here, but on the occasion my kids do get at tick, I get it off and then cleanse the area with rubbing alcohol.

I'm wondering if they are extra bad this year for some reason. I'm in Indiana, but we have already found several on our dog and one on our daughter. I know that I will be checking the kids and myself over at least briefly every day.

I think it is the time of year. I try to always be careful about all bugs this time of year, including mosquitoes. It is a good idea to buy some bug spray, like Skin So Soft. It is scentless and not sticky. This is a good time to keep some in your purse or car.

we went to ichetucknee a few weeks ago and we probably picked off 100 between the 4 of us mostly me and the kids. they were your normal brown dog tick. the deer ticks are the ones you need to be really mindful of. i would do some research and then just be careful. use bugspray, this year we're using the bullfrog that has bug repellant and sunscreen in one. i am a mosquito magnet. so badly that when i start getting bit, i have to count them. a few years ago i got 30 bites in the span of 1 hour. no one else got a single one. i ended not getting west nile, but actually getting poisoned. since then, when i get bit the bite area swells up to about the size of a golf ball sometimes larger, it gets hot to the touch, very sore and sometimes (more often than not) actually looks bruised. if i get more than a few (3 - 4) then my lymph nodes under my arms start to swell. anyway, enough about my medical history. haha. i guess my point is suzy's right. you ALWAYS have to be careful.

We haven't had an issue with ticks yet -- although I'll be on the lookout now! But mosquitos have been really bad this year. Both boys constantly have a handful of bites on their arms and legs. Unfortunately, we've been seeing a ton of snakes lately too (only one of which was poisonous). It's just that time of year when all the creepy, crawly things come out. Oh the joys of living in Florida!

One word of caution about the SPF/DEET combination. Be mindful of the label instructions. You're not supposed to reapply DEET products, but you should reapply SPF as long as you're in the sun. Maybe it's best to use seperate, or DEET free products (however they may be less effective)

always check for ticks if your child has been in a wooded area. if you miss one and spot it later, be careful when pulling it off. if it has bitten and bedded down, cover it completely with vasoline. it will suffocate and pull out easier. be very careful not to leave part of it in.

last winter my son had one on his head that we found after we got home from a weekend in the woods. i went to give him a haircut and he said be careful, i have a bug bite on my head. well it was a big old fat tick. we had to do some minor surgery to get it all out. now that was fun!

i don't think they are any worse this year than other years. we always battle them!