Summer is here! A time for sun and fun and … the time when the big box retailers start putting Halloween items on their shelves for reasons I just don’t understand.

But what frightens me more than the large creepy inflatable characters haunting the store aisles is it’s also tick season, and these tiny little predators shouldn’t be judged by their size.

Little creatures you can barely see on your skin can cause all kinds of problems you don’t want to deal with, including Lyme disease and other co-infections.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by the bite of a specific kind of tick called a deer tick and I can tell you it’s nothing to ignore.

My husband has suffered from a variety of symptoms of Lyme Disease for years and still has to manage the infection (not to mention the co-infections he experienced).

A few years ago when we were moving, he fell because he simply couldn’t lift his feet off the ground enough to walk while carrying something. It was frightening and a sign that it was time to return to the doctor for another round of treatment.

In his case, they believe he had the infections for several years before he was tested and diagnosed. He doesn’t recall ever being bitten, finding a tick or seeing the classic “bullseye” rash.

Perhaps had he known sooner, he could’ve prevented the more serious effects of the disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are approximately 30,000 reports of Lyme disease from state health departments across the nation, but some data suggests that as many as 476,000 people could have the disease each year. Pennsylvania continues to lead the U.S. in Lyme disease cases, with as many as 30% of all reported cases occurring in the Keystone State.

According to the CDC, a tick must be attached for 36-48 hours before Lyme disease can be transmitted.

Ticks in the nymph stage – which are active between April and August – are about the size of a pinhead, making them much more difficult to detect than larger, adult deer ticks.

They say 36 hours before Lyme’s can be transmitted, but who is timing that and who wants to take that risk? You’ve gotta check your body—and most importantly the bodies of the grandkids!—and get those pests off ASAP!

To remove a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible, and pull upward with steady, even pressure. Avoid twisting or jerking the tick, and don’t squeeze its body. 

After removal, clean the bite area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol and dispose of the tick properly. 

So what can you do to protect yourself and your family from getting ticks in the first place?

You are at risk of getting a tick any time you are outside, including in wooded and bushy areas, areas with high grass and leaf litter and even in your own yard.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health suggests ways to reduce your chances of a tick bite:

• Walk in the center of trails and avoid areas with high grass and leaf litter
• Use a repellent that contains at least 20% DEET
• Wear light-colored clothing
• Conduct full-body tick checks on yourself, kids and on your pets after spending time outdoors
• Take a bath or shower within 2 hours after coming indoors.

If you have been bitten by a tick, make sure to monitor the area for any kinds of symptoms and contact your health care provider immediately.

Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue and skin rash. If untreated, the infection can spread to the joints, heart and the nervous system.

In most cases, Lyme disease can be successfully treated with a few weeks of antibiotics, but symptoms take anywhere from three to 30 days to appear following a tick bite.

Untreated Lyme disease can cause a wide range of symptoms, from fever and rash to facial paralysis, heart palpitations and arthritis—some of which may never be resolved.

It’s nothing to mess with. Please be careful out there! Please check yourselves, your pets and especially the grandkids when they come indoors from playing in the yard. Teach them not to be afraid, but to be powerful against ticks!