Lyme disease was first identified in 1975 in Lyme, Connecticut and since then has been found to be the most common tick borne disease in the United States. Lyme is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected black legged tick (deer tick). In order to transmit the disease the tick must be attached to a person for at least 24-48 hours, so if you remove a tick quickly you can prevent the illness.

 

Early Lyme disease (5-30 days after the tick bite) is characterized by flu like symptoms (fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pains) as well as swollen lymph nodes and a distinctive red circular rash that starts at the site of the tick bite and spreads out circularly from there. Late Lyme diseases symptoms can appear weeks, months, or years after a tick bite and include arthritis (painful swelling of one or more joints), numbness, facial paralysis (Bell's palsy), meningitis, and occasionally irregular heart rhythms.

 

The simplest way to prevent Lyme disease is to avoid being bitten by a tick or to remove ticks as soon as possible after a bite. Ticks live close to the ground in tall grasses; they do not fly or jump off trees. Wearing long pants and keeping pant legs tucked into socks can keep ticks from being able to crawl up onto your skin. Anytime after you have been in tick habitat you should thoroughly check your entire body, and your children's bodies, and remove attached ticks immediately.

 

Ticks can attach anywhere; in particular, they will find spots like: the back of your knee, around waistbands, under armpits or any other constricted place.  The best way to remove a tick is to grasp it's head with a pair of sharp tweezers or a tick removal tool (such as "Ticked Off" tick remover tool marketed to remove ticks from dogs but it also works very well on children) and pull it straight out (do not try to twist it out). After removing the tick apply a topical antibiotic ointment over the site to prevent infections.

If your child has a tick and you can not remove it, or if you believe it has been on for more than 48 hours, or if he has any of the symptoms of Lyme disease listed above, contact Dr. McAllister. For more information check out this website: http://tickencounter.org/.

 
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is found in clear, hard plastic bottles made from a material called Polycarbonate (PCA) and the BPA is added to make the material strong.  BPA has a chemical structure that is similar to the structure of human hormones (estrogen and testosterone) and if absorbed into the body in high quantities they can disrupt the normal functioning of hormones in the body. 
 
On April 15 the National Toxicology Program released a preliminary report on BPA stating that animal studies have shown some evidence that BPA can cause developmental problems in animals. The possible effects on humans cannot be dismissed and further research into these possible risks is currently underway.  It should be stressed that there is no conclusive evidence that these chemicals do cause risk, but there is a concern that they might.
 
Since these chemicals may be harmful parents should try and limit their child's exposure to them.  Most plastic bottles have a recycling mark (a triangle with a number in it) on the bottom of the bottle.  Try to avoid bottles with the number "7" in the recycling mark, but those with a "1", "2", or "4" in the mark are safe to use.  If possible switch to glass bottles, soft plastic bottles, or bottle specifically marked "BPA free".
 

Dr. McAllister has published an article on the dangers of poisonous chemicals in the home. Children under six account for over 50 percent of annual at-home poisonings. We encourage all of our families to educate themselves and to take the necessary precautions to protect children. The article ran in the May 2008 issue of Kidding Around and can be read on our website by clicking here.