Sydney parents are being warned about a major tick plague.
Doctors are warning there is a serious health risk for children and advise how you remove ticks is very important to get right.
Sydney mum, Susie Maher, shares her son Liam was bitten by a tick and suffered a severe reaction, reports 7 news.
“He came out in welts and very itchy and the end result for us was he contracted the mammalian meat allergy,” Ms Maher said.
Liam is now allergic to all red meat.
“It’s upsetting as a mother because if I had removed the ticks properly he wouldn’t have had the reaction that he got,” Ms Maher said.
Vet, Rob Zammit, has seen five cases recently and is urging parents it’s not just cats and dogs who need to be checked daily.
“This is very, very serious this year,” Mr Zammit said.
“Please parents check your children.”
Ticks have been found in Baulkham Hills and new construction areas in Rouse Hill, Box Hill, Engadine and in the Sutherland Shire and all of the northern beaches.
“Well, firstly, don’t get bitten,” Tiara medical specialist Associate Professor Sheryl van Nunen said.
“Dress for the ocassion – so have a long sleeve shirt on, have your long trousers with your shirt tucked in, and make your backyard safe for your family.”
Carefully checking for ticks, including the neck, scalp, groin and underarms when you come inside.
What to do if you are bitten by a tick
If you do get bitten by a tick experts say the worst thing to try and do is pull them out with tweezers as they can release toxins into your blood.
The best remedy for small ticks is scabies cream.
Experts say to dab it on and leave it for an hour and for big ticks give it five shots of dry ice. (We recommend a trip to the GP for that one)
One of our MoM members shares, “After A LOT of research I have found that if you use a repellant with the ingredient DEETS in it, it will help REPELL (not kill) ticks.”
Avoidance is the best option!
One study from a hospital in Sydney’s northern beaches found 34 of the 500 people who presented with tick bites suffered anaphylaxis.
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