Q: Our family is going camping in the woods this summer and I’m concerned about ticks. What can we do to stay safe?
A: You are smart to be extra vigilant about ticks in warmer months (April through September), when they are most active. These tips should help:
• Avoid Direct Contact with Ticks
- Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
- Walk in the center of trails.
• Repel Ticks with DEET or Permethrin
- Use repellents that contain 20 to 30% DEET on exposed skin. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes and mouth.
- Treat clothing and gear (backpacks, tents, etc.) with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washings. Pretreated clothing is available and may be protective longer.
• Find and Remove Ticks from Your Body - Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors.
- Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist and especially in their hair.
- Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing, backpacks and pets, then attach to a person later.
- Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat to kill remaining ticks.
—Source: American Red Cross
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection, July 2016
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