Ticks have eight legs and live in wooded areas.
Ticks are relatives to spiders. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ticks suck the blood of their hosts and pass diseases, such as Lyme disease, from one host to another. Many of these diseases affect humans. Kid-safe ways to repel ticks should be used especially if you live in an area, such as the northeastern part of the United States, where tickborne diseases are a problem.
Prevention
One way to repel ticks is avoiding areas with ticks. From April to September, ticks are most active, according to the CDC. During these warmer months, avoid wooded areas or areas where the grass has grown tall, or more than 15 inches. Instruct children not to play where there are piles of leaves and always walk on trails, rather than through forests or woodlands. Use animal-safe tick repellent on your pets to prevent passing the ticks onto children.
Clothing
Children should wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when playing outdoors. Ticks cannot jump and are mostly picked up from the lower legs, according to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Light-colored clothing should be worn because ticks look for darker areas, such as leaf litter, for hosts. Pants should be tucked into long socks and clothing should be removed immediately after visiting woodland areas. Ticks often stick to clothing and can survive hot washes. One hour in a dryer, however, should kill ticks.
Synthetic Repellents
Parents can choose an insect repellent with 20 percent or more of DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide. It's a strong repellent, but if applied correctly can work well against ticks. Avoid your child's hands and face when using a product with DEET, according to the CDC. Permethrin is another strong tick repellent that's only applied to your child's clothing and shoes. Some clothing comes with this repellent in the fibers and they last for about 70 washings. These kind of repellents work well for long camping trips or for areas with severe tickborne diseases.
Natural Repellents
Many natural oils can be applied to repel ticks. Products containing citronella, oil of lemon eucalyptus, soybean oil or geraniol are natural methods of avoiding ticks, according to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. These oils may last only about 2 hours and should be reapplied often. Other natural repellents include peppermint, lemongrass, lavender, cedar, canola, rosemary and geranium. Mix your own solution and apply to pets, clothing and skin, but avoid your child's face and hands.
Checking for Ticks
Be on the lookout for ticks to prevent bites or infestations. After playing in woodland areas or with the family pet, check your child for ticks. According to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, 75 percent of ticks are found from around the home and most Lyme disease cases are from an undetected tick. Take a bath or shower first and then examine all over the body, including hair and belly button, for ticks. Look for the small dark, round body of the tick. Pull the tick straight up with tweezers to remove the mouth parts as well. Apply an antibiotic and save the tick in a plastic bag for identification.
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