Cooperative Living March/April 2015 - 22

HEALTHY TAKE
I
t's the time of year when even a short walk through the woods
can lead to unwanted critters tagging along on your body.
Anytime you're outside during warmer months, it's important to
check yourself for ticks afterwards. These blood-sucking creatures
can spread Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and other
tick-borne infections that can make you seriously ill.
TIPS FOR PREVENTING TICK TROUBLES:
* Dress to protect. Wear long pants with socks and tuck in your
shirt to deter ticks from reaching your skin and give you more
time to remove them before they attach.
* Arm yourself. Use repellents that contain 20 to 30 percent
DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) on exposed skin and clothing
for protection that will last up to several hours. Always follow
product instructions. Parents should apply this product to children,
avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth. Treat clothing and gear, such
as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5 percent
permethrin, which remains protective through several washings.
Pre-treated clothing is also available. Other tick repellents
registered by the Environmental Protection Agency may be found
at cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect.
* Treat all gear afterwards. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing
and gear, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine
these items after spending time outdoors. Tumble clothing in a
dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks. (Research
suggests that shorter drying times are also effective, particularly if
the clothing is already dry at the start of the drying cycle.)
* Take a bath or shower within two hours of coming inside. Use
a mirror (or a close friend!) to closely check yourself from head
to toe.
* Don't forget children and pets. Look in their ears, armpits and
other areas where ticks try to hide.
TO REMOVE AN ATTACHED TICK:
* Use tweezers, not fingers. Tweezers will help you grasp
the head of the tick as close to the skin as possible so that
you remove the entire tick on the first try.
* Pull with a steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the
tick, as this can cause its mouth to break and remain in the
skin. If this happens, try to remove the remaining part with
tweezers.
* Clean the bite area. After removing the tick, use rubbing
alcohol, an iodine scrub or soap and water to disinfect the
surface.
If you see a telltale " bulls-eye "
pattern on the skin of someone
exposed to ticks, it's important to
seek medical attention as soon as
possible. Your doctor can prescribe
antibiotics that may stop tick-borne
illnesses from getting started.
CREATE A TICK-SAFE ZONE THROUGH LANDSCAPING
Here are some simple landscaping
techniques that can help reduce tick
populations:
* Clear tall grasses and brush around
homes and at the edge of lawns.
* Place a 3-foot-wide barrier of
wood chips or gravel between lawns
and wooded areas and around
patios and play equipment. This
will restrict tick migration into
recreational areas.
* Mow the lawn frequently and keep
leaves raked.
* Stack wood neatly and in a dry
area (discourages rodents that ticks
feed on).
20
* Keep playground equipment, decks,
and patios away from yard edges
and trees and place them in a sunny
location, if possible.
* Remove any old furniture, mattresses,
or trash from the yard that may give
ticks a place to hide.
* Consider using a professional pesticide
company to apply pesticides at
your home. A single springtime application
of a tick pesticide, such as
bifenthrin, can greatly reduce the
number of ticks in your yard. 
Sources: HealthFinder.gov, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention,
www.cdc.gov
Cooperative Living/March-April 2015
JUPITER IMAGES/PHOTOS.COM/THINKSTOCK
VITALII HULAI/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK
http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect http://www.HealthFinder.gov http://www.cdc.gov
Cooperative Living March/April 2015

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