Tick Removal: A Step-by-Step Guide

Boy, your child's freckles really stand out in the sun — but wait, that one looks like it's moving! It isn't a freckle at all. It's a tick. What should you do?

First, don't panic. It's true that Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the United States, but your child's risk of developing Lyme disease after being bitten by a tick is very low.

To be safe, though, you'll want to remove the tick as soon as possible because risk of infection increases between 24 to 72 hours after the tick attaches to the skin.

One note of caution: don't use petroleum jelly or a hot match to kill and remove a tick. These methods don't get the tick off your skin, and can cause the insect to burrow deeper and release more saliva (which increases the chances of disease transmission).

Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: May 2010

Related Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) The mission of the CDC is to promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. Call: (800) CDC-INFO

Lyme Disease Foundation This organization is dedicated to finding solutions to tick-borne disorders.

American Lyme Disease Foundation This organization is dedicated to advancing the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and control of Lyme disease.

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Lyme Disease Lyme disease can affect the skin, joints, nervous system, and other organ systems. If diagnosed quickly and treated with antibiotics, Lyme disease in kids is almost always treatable.

Evaluate Your Child's Lyme Disease Risk Does the threat of Lyme disease make you think your kids would be safer in your living room than in the great outdoors? Find out how to evaluate a child's Lyme disease risk.