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Tick and Lyme Disease Information

Pennsylvania Act 120 of 2024, which amended the Public-School Code of 1949, requires that school districts provide information regarding ticks and Lyme disease. This amendment requires a school nurse, school physician, or designated employee of a school entity to remove a tick from a student in accordance with guidelines issued by the Secretary of Health.

Parents will be notified if a tick is removed from their child. After removal, the tick shall be preserved for the parent/guardian to send to the Tick Research Lab of Pennsylvania for testing if they choose to do so.

If a tick is found and removed, please record the date and monitor for symptoms for 30 days. Parents should contact their child’s physician to discuss whether prophylactic treatment is indicated.

More information and resources on ticks can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website. Please get in touch with your child’s physician if there are any additional medical concerns.

For the past several years, Pennsylvania has been the top-ranked state for the most reported cases in the U.S. for Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans through the bites of infected deer ticks, especially by the nymphal deer tick.  The nymphal deer tick is so small that many people are not aware when a tick has bitten them and may not make a connection when they begin to experience symptoms. Symptoms can include fever, headache, general achiness, swollen glands, fatigue, and a possible bullseye rash, and symptoms may not appear for weeks, months, or even years after a tick bite. In young people, Lyme Disease may initially present as a typical acute illness and then resolve. Behavioral changes, changes in academic performance, and mental health concerns may then present after an acute illness that alerts parents that something else is going on (PA Lyme Resource Network, 2018).

Prevention

  • Avoid exposure in wooded, overgrown areas, and stay on marked trails when hiking.
  • Avoid going into tall grass and brush
  • Sports and athletic fields with well-groomed grass are safer.
  • Wear protective clothing such as long sleeves, long pants tucked into socks, and closed-toe shoes.
  • Use insect repellent such as DEET on the body or Permethrin on clothes. Be sure to review safety information and assess the risks/benefits of these products. Consult your doctor if you’re hesitant of the products.
  • Remove clothing as soon as coming in from outdoors, in an area outside of the house, such as a garage.
  • Place clothes in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes.
  • Perform tick checks as soon as you come in from outside. Important areas to check for ticks include behind the knees, under the armpits, in the scalp, along the waistline, and the back.
  • Shower daily.

Places to Check for Ticks

  • In/behind ears

  • Scalp and hair

  • Armpits

  • Belly button

  • Groin area

  • Behind the knees

  • In-between toes

  • Under any skin folds

(TickEncounter Resource Center, 2018)

Where to check for ticks


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Symptoms Can Include

  • Bull's Eye Rash—Keep in mind that 50% of individuals with Lyme Disease never see a bull's eye rash. The bull's eye rash is a definite indicator that the individual has Lyme Disease.

  • Fever

  • Headache
  • Flu-like symptoms (chills, sweats, nausea, and muscle aches)                                                     
  • Bell's palsy (facial paralysis)
  • Extreme/persistent fatigue
  • Swollen glands
  • Exercise intolerance
  • Insomnia
  • Memory issues and brain fog

How to Remove a Tick

  • Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Apply gloves before removing the tick to protect any open cuts on your skin.
  • Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick, as this can cause the mouthparts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers.
  • After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, or soap and water.
  • Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, and wrapping it tightly in tape.


Tick and Tickborne disease graphic

Additional Resources