A Message from
ICS Medical Services
SHANNON STOWERS
During summer months, we spend a lot of time outdoors with our students. ICS staff does the best we can to ensure that our students are protected from bugs with bug repellent (lotion type is preferred at ICS), and checked for ticks when we come back into the school. However, we cannot catch every possible tick on every student, so we want to share this information with parents to guide you as you are checking your children as well.
Where do ticks live?
Ticks can be found in various environments, but most often they are in or near wooded areas. They hide under leaves, in the grass and on branches. ALL Ticks can transmit Lyme disease (it is not limited to deer ticks). Ticks can also transmit serious diseases that can be life-threatening, so it is important to know how to identify and remove a tick from your child.
Frequent tick checks are your best protection from tick-borne illness.
It is important for children to check their entire body, clothing and hair after being outdoors. Students can be encouraged to check over each other as they return to the building from being outdoors. Parents are encouraged to check your student each night for any ticks when your student arrives home as well.
If you are bitten by a tick, it is important to remove the tick immediately. Adults should assist children with tick removal. A fine-point tweezers should be used to grasp the tick by the head. Remove the tick with a steady pull, straight up, away from the skin
. (NEVER squeeze, twist or yank the body of a tick, and never put any substance on the tick.)
Watch for signs of illness such as rash, fever, or flu-like symptoms. Contact your health care provider if any of these develop.
It is important to note that rashes do not always present at the site of the tick bite you should check
EVERYWHERE.
For more information, please contact Shannon Stowers at
414-525-6129 or by email at
sstowers@ics-edu.org
.
