Lyme disease in children can have non-specific symptoms. So if, after a tick bite, your child has, for example, learning problems, does not want to play, or even develops ADHD symptoms, you may suspect Lyme disease. Check how Lyme disease can manifest itself in a child.

Lyme disease in childrenmay go unnoticed for a long time. Migratory erythema, characteristic of this disease, appears only in some children.

Symptoms of Lyme disease, which appear in most children, are non-specific, which delays the correct diagnosis, and thus - gives less chance of a complete recovery.

Contents:

  1. Lyme disease in children: causes
  2. Lyme disease in children: symptoms
  3. Lyme disease in children: diagnosis
  4. Lyme disease in children: treatment. What antibiotic should I give?

Lyme disease in children: causes

Lyme disease in childrencan becongenital . You can talk about it when the infection occurred in the mother's womb. However, these are rare cases.

Lyme disease in children usually develops as a result of a tick bite - most often around the head, bending of two joints, arms and legs. Lyme disease is caused by the bacteriumBorrelia burgdorferi , which is most often transmitted by ticks of the genusIxodes ricinus(common tick).

Lyme disease in children: symptoms

The characteristic symptoms of Lyme disease - migratory erythema may appear on the skin, at the site of the tick bite. However, research by American scientists shows that it occurs only in 10 percent. children.

After a child is bitten by a tick, parents should pay attention to non-specific symptoms that may indicate Lyme disease, such as:

  • headaches
  • muscle and joint pain
  • apathy
  • irritability
  • getting tired quickly (even after a short walk)
  • learning problems (resulting from memory and concentration disorders); due to the fact that infection most often occurs in the summer, these symptoms are noticeable in September, at the beginning of the school year
  • reluctance to play (e.g. movement games during physical education lessons)

Besides, there may be hypersensitivity to sound and light, difficultieswith sleep (e.g. waking up in the middle of the night). Some studies show that a child with Lyme disease may develop symptoms of ADHD.

GOOD TO KNOW:Tick paralysis occurs most often in children

Remedies for ticks

Important

Tick bites are usually painless, so your child may not notice the parasite. Therefore, after returning from a walk in the forest or park, you should carefully examine the child's body.

Lyme disease in children: diagnosis

After 4-6 weeks after a child is bitten by a tick, blood tests can be performed for the presence of(IgG, IgM) antibodies against spirochetes.

If the result is positive or in doubt, a Western-blot test is performed.

However, immediately after a tick bite, you can perform a test that detects the DNA of the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. However, it is not reimbursed by the National He alth Fund.In a private laboratory it costs about PLN 200.

Lyme disease in children: treatment. What antibiotic should I give?

Antibiotic therapy is used to treat Lyme disease in children.When ordering medications, the doctor takes into account the child's age and weight. The youngest are most often given doxycycline or amoxicillin.

Is Lyme disease in children curable ? Yes. Studies show that most patients recover after appropriate treatment. The sooner treatment is started, the greater the chances of recovery.

Category:

Research