You might call it a new version of arachnophobia.
No, it’s not a remake of that 1990 horror flick with John Goodman. This is real… and really scary.
Only unlike the spiders that attacked the people in the movie, the arachnids I’m talking about are really tiny ones. They’re ticks – and they can paralyze you, your kids or grandkids with a simple bite.
Left untreated, tick paralysis can escalate to a crisis situation, leaving you unable to breathe.
And although it’s still considered rare (unlike Lyme disease and other typical tick-borne illnesses), it’s turning up more and more lately. Several new reports have just come out, and it’s obvious that this is something we can no longer ignore.
There are, however, four easy steps you can take to stay safe and prevent this real-life horror-movie fright from touching you and your family.
Catching them in the act
It’s every parent’s nightmare. One day your child is fine… and the next, they’ve been struck by a mystery illness.
That’s what happened to 5-year-old Kailyn Griffin, who awoke one morning unable to stand or even speak clearly, and 3-year-old Evelyn Lewis, who was suddenly unable to stand up without falling.
Both girls were diagnosed with tick paralysis, and — thank goodness! – they each made a full recovery almost immediately after the tiny arachnid was plucked out of them.
In Evelyn’s case, the doctor who saw her at the hospital had a hunch that a tick might be involved and carefully combed through her scalp. That’s when he found a small red bump where the bloodsucker had attached itself. Kailyn’s tick was found by her mom on her hairline right before the girl was rushed to the hospital.
Tick paralysis is caused by the release of a neurotoxin in the saliva of dozens of tick species, with wood and dog ticks (both frequently found in grassy and wooded areas) being most commonly linked to this scary condition.
Experts call this a “unique” affliction because it involves a “pulsed toxin,” meaning that every time the tick “feeds” on you while it’s attached, you’re getting more and more of the poison injected into your body.
Although kids are much more vulnerable to this paralyzing illness due to their size, the CDC has gathered reports of tick paralysis cases in adults all the way up to 86.
And even dogs are at risk. Yikes!
Of course, we’ve slogged through a long, hard winter, and despite the threat posed by ticks, it’s not going to keep me and my pups inside!
If you feel the same, there are some simple (but necessary) precautions you can take to keep yourself and your family safe – not only from tick paralysis, but from the ever-present threat of Lyme disease.
Here are four effective ways to make sure these bloodsuckers stay off of you and your family.
#1: Whenever you’re doing yard work, especially mowing the lawn or using an edge trimmer or leaf blower, always change your clothes and do a thorough tick check when coming inside. And feeling for them is often more effective than just looking! Ticks don’t fly or jump, but since they’re light as a feather, they can easily be transferred to your shoes or legs – and then they quickly make a beeline for an exposed area of your body. And wearing long pants won’t protect you.
#2: Any clothing worn outdoors during the spring and summer months should either hit the washer or go into the dryer for at least 20 minutes at high heat to kill any of these unseen mini-monsters.
#3: Natural bug sprays containing oil of lemon eucalyptus work well and can be applied directly to exposed areas of the skin. HSI panel member Dr. Mark Stengler recommends a natural spray called Buzz Away. The only thing to be aware of when using one of these natural preparations is that you’ll need to apply them much more often than a chemical spray containing DEET. If you do go the DEET route, remember to only apply it to your shoes and socks – and then remove them before going inside.
#4: Always do a check of your dog after a romp outside, even if you’ve applied a flea and tick product.
And if you do find a tick attached to you, don’t panic. It takes over 24 hours for Lyme to be transmitted, and for tick paralysis, the actual “cure” is removing the tick!
Use your fingers or a pointed tweezer to pull it up and out. Don’t squeeze it, kill it while it’s on you, or use lighter fluid or anything to stun it.
Once it’s out, put it on a piece of sticky tape so it can’t escape — and get rid of it!
“A 5-year-old girl’s sudden paralysis was a mystery. Then her mother checked her scalp” Cleve R. Wootson Jr., June 11, 2018, The Washington Post, washingtonpost.com