My son went to a Boy Scout outing this weekend. While he had a great time, he did not follow the “Leave No Trace” creed. Yep, my son brought home one of nature’s smaller inhabitants; the tick. Yesterday, we had did a quick check of his hair and did not come across any. Today, after school, he mentioned that his arm itched. He took off his shirt and there it was.

First, what is a tick?

This post at tickbitepreventionweek.org states that a tick is a small parasite. The tick does not fly or jump; it travels by walking or dropping onto the unsuspecting host.

What are some issues that can occur from a tick bite?

Mainly, ticks are an inconvenience. They cause itching and are uncomfortable. But, if the tick gets larger and gets ripped apart leaving the head in the skin, it can cause an infection. Worse, according to WEBMD, the tick can carry diseases that can be passed on to the host.

How did we remove it?

Out came the tweezers, and have some moving the tick around, we were able to pull it out. I know that some people would argue that your are not supposed to pull a tick out with tweezers, but according to the CDC in an article about removing ticks. They recommend using a fine pair of needle nose pliers. By getting as close to the persons body as you can, you can pull the tick out. What you do not want to do, is to pull the body of the tick, and rip it apart. That would leave the head of the tick inside of your scout. This could become infected.

Hopefully, this will help you prepare for when your scout comes home from a great weekend at scout camp, with an uninvited guest.