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AIBU?

Aibu to take dd to docs due to tick bite?

32 replies

IUseAnyName · 28/06/2015 23:06

She's 20 months. I found a tick after bathtime and took it off not probs.... We have a tick tool as dog is prone to them.
Shes alseep and fine, theres a bit of redness on bite area but no telltale bullseye rash to say lyme disease, although I know its early days.
Its just my past 2 1st aid courses (once every 3 years) have explained that Lyme disease is more common than ever, so i'm paranoid that dd has caught it.
Aibu to want to take her to docs and ask for antibiotics, regardless of whether she has caught it or not?.... The earlier the antibis are ised the more effective they are.

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PuntasticUsername · 28/06/2015 23:08

Don't know much about this but from what you've said - yes, I'd see your GP, for antibiotics or whatever other treatment the GP deems appropriate.

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YouTheCat · 28/06/2015 23:10

Definitely gp as soon as possible. Don't be fobbed off with a week long wait.

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ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 28/06/2015 23:10

YABU. Wait a few days. See if she has any symptoms of Lyme Disease. Don't waste GP's time unless she does.

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PuntasticUsername · 28/06/2015 23:11

Actually, scratch that, could you see pharmacist for advice first? Just from pov of not wanting to take up a GP appt unless you def need one. Unless loads of other better-informed posters come on and say yes, ABs def needed!

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IUseAnyName · 28/06/2015 23:11

Okay, thank you. Wasnt sure if i am over reacting, as if it was me id wait for symptoms, but 20 months seems too young to do that.

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IUseAnyName · 28/06/2015 23:12

That's my worry, wasting gp appointments.... Im mot one to go for any old thing, i need a proper reason.

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IUseAnyName · 28/06/2015 23:13

Will pop in to pharmacy in the morn. Guessing i can just pop in?

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PuntasticUsername · 28/06/2015 23:15

Nah, it's your baby! And Lyme Disease can be very nasty. Def seek appropriate care. I would say try 111, but I've heard very mixed reports of the value of their advice unfortunately.

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UniS · 28/06/2015 23:15

Pharmacy, and waiting 12 hours.

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PuntasticUsername · 28/06/2015 23:17

X-post - yes, you should be able to rock up at the counter, say you want to consult the pharmacist, and they will come straight out. They should have a private room to use if you prefer.

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UniS · 28/06/2015 23:17

Not all rocks carry Lyme, lost count of f how many ticks I have removed from family over the years ( live on moorland), not an incidence of lyme yet. Only know one child in the village who has had it.

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UniS · 28/06/2015 23:17

Rocks!!!? Should say , ticks.

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wheelycote · 28/06/2015 23:18

It won't do any harm to get your little one checked out by gp. You can never tell with bites if they're gonna become infected.

If it were my little one, I'd ask for gp appointment even if I was concerned about wasting their time. if you have that niggle at the back of your mind...have your mind put at rest by requesting to see your gp.

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YouTheCat · 28/06/2015 23:19

Your child needs antibiotics. Sooner the better. Please ignore the very bad advice of those saying not to waste a GP's time. It isn't a waste of GP's time. Waiting for symptoms to appear is the wrong thing to do with tick bites and Lyme disease.

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IUseAnyName · 28/06/2015 23:19

Well we'll be over 12 hours at 7am. Will check her arm and make decision then.
It can be very nasty if left.... Paralysis, meningitis... I know rare, but possible all the same. My dh nearly died from meningitis a few yrs ago, so maybe Im more paranoid than normal

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IUseAnyName · 28/06/2015 23:21

I know lyme disease is rare, but i work outdoors and have come across a few cases. I also live in a known infected area

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ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 28/06/2015 23:24

Seriously YouTheCat? GP and antibiotics for every tick bite? Where did you get this advice from?

(Genuine question btw. ive pulled ticks out of both DCs this week and it wouldn't have entered my head to go fo gp)

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missingmumxox · 28/06/2015 23:25

I would take her, I am very anti wasting GP appoints but lymes is awful and one of my sons had a bite from an infected tick at age 3, we where lucky he had the tell tale bulls eye but this is not present in most cases.
We also had a friend who had awful debilitating neurological issues from previously undiagnosed lymes in his 50's goodness knows when he was infected, he had facial palsy, agonising back pain and depression he changed so much in a couple of years.

My other son had a tick bite a couple of weeks before Ds who had it, lymes ticks are VERY, small, mostly missed, if you see the GP in the UK be aware any life/holiday insurances will be increased, fucks me off as my son had weeks of antibs, but he costs us double his dad who is on statins Confused
He is only 10.

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WhattodowithMum · 28/06/2015 23:29

Go to the GP!

You are not wasting his/her time. Lyme disease is very, very serious.
Your DD is precious and this is why we all pay the doctor'so salary.

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ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 28/06/2015 23:34

But what would a gp do? (Again, genuine question) Are they going to do a blood test on a baby with no symptoms? Or give antibiotics for a disease he probably doesn't have?

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Fumnudge · 28/06/2015 23:40

I took my (prob v similar age) daughter to the docs and he v kindly said it wasn't necessary unless it got a red ring. There was still half the tick left in too.

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missingmumxox · 28/06/2015 23:43

No they do what our doctor did with our first boy with the tick bite we found, which is talk you through the options antibiotics or leave for 6 weeks for a blood test (waste if time 6 weeks is too late) we decided against antibiotics due to the size of the tick indicating it wasn't Lymes and the weeks of horrible antibiotics, plus given lot of information which meant the next time we went we fucking knew it was Lymes

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missingmumxox · 28/06/2015 23:45

Fumn your GP needs re educating it Bull eye is only in a small % of cases

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missingmumxox · 28/06/2015 23:46

To be fair I lived in Lyme... The doctors tended to be a little clued up to the disease there... No idea why Grin

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TomcatGin · 28/06/2015 23:49

IUseAnyName why don't you have a look at this webpage which is the official public health england guideline on how to manage tick bites? I'd give it my vote for reliability over some of the comments above...

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