spring. out of the house finally, but it worries me.

so, as I've mentioned in other posts my son (4) has lyme. I strongly suspected it starting this past Nov. '13 (late in the month) and it was confirmed end of Jan./early Feb. 2014. (He's started treatment finally!)

All late fall and winter it's been "lyme". I mean my focus, things I read about, learn about, think about, worry about, talk to others about. And, all along my son's been tucked away, safe in our house, with the cold weather outside. Can't play outside in Iowa when it's only 20 degrees or so.

All winter I've looked out our sunroom windows. There're lots of windows, lots of sunshine, a big view of the yard…with it's tall grasses, many trees and bushes, log piles, and deer wandering by. I used to love our yard.

And, now here is spring finally coming around, 60 degrees today, a beautiful day. It will get warmer, and more beautiful. We've always been outside as much as we could in the warm weather. Barefoot in the garden all summer, playing hide and seek in the bushes and trees, laying in the grass looking at the cloud shapes.

But now I don't want him to go outside in our yard ever again.

I know I can use sprays for the yard and for us, and I know just b/c it happened once doesn't mean it will again, but I'm just scared of it now, a lot.

Not to be negative, but I feel like all spring and all summer and fall long I'll be worried about a tick bite on him, especially a small one that I can't see.
Am I over worrying? Anyone relate? I even feel like moving, but that's not likely.

Stacestar, I can relate to your posting. We built a new home in the woods on a lake and my son is getting married in our backyard this fall......I am concerned! The county I live in has lots of Lyme. We also see rabbits and deer crossing our property. I used to love working in the yard and being outside. I also feel like moving to a city with lots of concrete. But now that some articles are saying that mosquitoes are carrying Lyme, I don't think it matters where you live. I've been researching about what to use on clothing. Permethrin sounds like a good repellent.

Clothing treated with permethrin kills ticks as they travel across the fabric.

Proper permethrin clothing treatment requires 3 to 6 ounces to be applied.

Treatment will last from 2 to 6 weeks and withstand weekly detergent washing.

Permethrin works equally well on mosquitoes, chiggers and other arthropods.

I guess we still need to enjoy life, but do what we can to minimize the chance of being reinfected.

stacestar - you have every right to be worried - I understand your fears. My husband and I were just talking about maybe everyone in the family getting a lyme test regularly once a year, like in November. I definitely have it, and I am waiting on my daughter's results. Is there a high incidence of Lyme disease where you are? Just do what makes you comfortable. I don't have to worry about my yard, but I may hesitate on going on as many hikes as we used to. I know I will be paranoid about bug spray and checking everyone for ticks from now on.

How is he doing? What medication is he on? If it was confirmed at the beginning of Feb why did he only start treatment now? I am actually going to find out my daughter's results today! so nervous!!

Regarding the perimethrin - spraying your clothes, you can also send your clothes to Insect Shield "do-it-yourself" and they will treat it, which last 70 washes (lifetime of the item). I do this to my husband's golf clothes. You can spray your property spring, summer, and mid fall. There is daminix tubes you can put around the perimeter of your property that will work on the mouse population. Mixed opinion on the tubes. For an alternative property natural spray, there is cedar oil. keep shrubs and trees heavily pruned, and allow lots of sunlight. I also pruned away the bottom of my trees/shrubs.

For skin protection, we use Avon Bug Guard Plus, Expedition IR3535. It comes scented and unscented. Also use Coleman Insect Repellent Skin Smart (Rite-Aid) which has the IR3535.

Daily tick checks, showers. For tick identification, check out tickencounter.org.

edit- not sure if you can use perimethrin products under age 5.

Elleon - we go to the poconos too!! although I am sure I got bitten in upstate NY, we go hiking in PA all of the time. Now I am going to be so worried!!

I am not as young as you, but still under 40 - I am more worried about my kids at this point. So sorry you got so sick!! how long did you have it before you figured it out?? I had it for four months before starting treatment, which is early compared to most cases on this forum. I hope you and your husband make a full recovery!!

thanks everyone for thoughts and ideas, makes me not feel alone in my concern and gives me ideas (like the essential oils and perimethrin, repellents, etc.) to look into.

I'm in eastern Iowa, which may not seem like a hot spot of tick activity, but I've seen a map of the US on a website (can't remember which site) which showed, by color, the rate of prediction of lyme for an area. To my surprise, my area was included in the "very high" prediction color, and "very high" was as bad as it got (went from "low, moderate, high, very high").

Thinking, or knowing, that lyme can be transmitted by more than just ticks, ugh!

and Elleon, the fact they can be so small is distressing, like you said.

cconcepts, "stay on the cement and gravel this year" I totally agree and relate! but what a shame isn't it?

I know just b/c it happened once doesn't mean it will again, but I think it's like when something else bad has happened to you, and then you know it can, a secure feeling is lost.

You know, like the if you've been in a car accident (not even a bad one) and then you're driving down the interstate in some snow and people whiz by driving way too fast to be safe, and you think to yourself, "they've never been in an accident. They don't know that it can happen to them."

I just feel like I know now, what's out there. (not to be all dramatic!)
It's good to know, and be aware, but sucks that it's there at all.
Ignorance is(was) bliss, well until or unless you get bit. so not really.

Anyway, thanks for sharing with me and for ideas.

oh, and Chapelle, thank you for mentioning that (antibiotics for two months after symptoms). I have heard that before too. Our current llmd said antibiotics until symptoms are "baseline", but we're actually changing this month to a different llmd (closer, with a little more experience) and even if the new one doesn't say for two months past, I'm going to ask for that. Hopefully it will be her idea anyway; that would give me confidence in her treatment ideas. Thanks again!