18 month old with possible lyme

Hello all,

I found a deer tick on my 18 month old daughter a month ago. Her pedi didn't seem to concerned (actually only spoke to the RN) but she had me remove the tick and bring it in for testing. I started worrying about it though, and called back 3 days later-they started her on 14 days of amoxacilin even though she didn't appear to be having any symptoms (but how can you really tell in a toddler??). She did have a small red bump where I removed the tick- I was told not to worry about it.

We happened to see her pedi about 10 days into the antibiotic treatment for her 18 month well visit (where she received three or four immunizations). The doctor completely brushed off the topic of lyme disease. I was told the test for the tick had come back, and it had been on her for approx. 48 hours, but not to worry because she was being treated.

Well, she's been off the antibiotics for 8 days now, and has been the fussiest I have ever seen her (no fever or anything though). I brought her back to the pedi today because the little red spot where the tick had been, is getting redder and bigger (and I am sure she hasn't been picking at it). However, it is still pretty small-about the size of a mosquito bite and doesn't look like a bulls eye. The RN said it was nothing to worry about...at this point, I feel like maybe I should be! Should I take my daughter to a lyme specialist? How do I find one? Does she need more antibiotics, more testing? I am sorry for all the questions but hope someone can help me! Thank you!

It would be good to have her tested with a western blot. You can request this from her pedi. I have a 2 year old and had her tested at birth, 3 months and again at 1 year just to be certain I didn't pass lyme on to her. Her pedi also told me she was fine and not to worry and she is fine, but I pushed and had the tests done regardless because with this illness you have to be your own advocate. It isn't taken seriously in the medical community for some reason and is often brushed off (as in my case and so many others). My mother just got bit by something (doesn't even know if it was a tick or not) but went in to her dr today and asked to be tested and started abx as a precaution. She knows all to well with me how bad lyme can get if left untreated and not caught early.

It is really good that she did take the abx as a precaution, but you can follow up with the western blot and don't hesitate to push your Dr to get the tests done that you want. My pedi has been great and doing this with me regardless of their personal feelings. She is your daughter so you have to be her advocate and it sounds like you are doing the right thing by researching and asking the quesitons. Find a llmd if you can in your area, but it's ok to ask for what you want done.

The first symptoms are flu like symptoms, does she point to her throat or something like that? I have no kids, so I have no idea what a child would do if they have the flu, maybe you already know if you had previous children, or maybe here someone can say.
Just to give you the heads up, not all ticks carry over diseases, I think its only like 1% of them in America and bit higher in Europe. My husband has been bitten 1000's of times in the army and has nothing. Unlike me.
But as said in the previous replies, best is to go to a lyme doc who has experience with children.
I hope she gets well, very soon.

ineisa,

Just letting you know that you have to have a yahoo account to view that link.

Well, the red 'bump' would not neccessarily mean lyme, but could indicate an allergic reaction to a tick bite -- to the tick's saliva. I know because the past couple of bites I had itched so bad that I got nauseated -- I guess it is entirely possible for your daughter. Sure did make ME fussy!

However, the Dr is still being negligent in that your daughter obviously does not feel well. That is reason enough to at least start her on treatment and properly test her.