Kane County Health Department offers 'Tick Kits'
The popular free "Tick Kits" provided by the Kane County Health Department are once again available for Kane County residents while supplies last at the Kane County Health Department office, 1240 N. Highland Ave. in Aurora, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Bring proof of address to obtain your kit.
The kits, packaged in a handy pocket-size carrying case, contain a Tick ID card, a First Aid Quick Facts Guide, antibacterial hand wipes, first aid and burn cream, a wipe to treat skin after the insect bite and a pair of plastic tweezers for removing the tick.
Signs and symptoms of infection can include fever, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, and diarrhea. Most people have reported becoming sick about two weeks after being bit by a tick. And while there is no treatment, doctors can treat some of the symptoms. If you have been bitten by a tick and think you may have a tick-borne illness, visit a health care provider. Tick-borne illnesses Illinois residents have been diagnosed with include Lyme disease, Heartland virus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichiosis, and tularemia.
Ticks are commonly found on the tips of grasses and shrubs. Ticks crawl - they cannot fly or jump. The tick will wait on the grass or shrub for a person or animal to walk by and then quickly climb aboard. Some ticks will attach quickly and others will wander, looking for places like the ear, or other areas where the skin is thinner.
Simple tips to avoid tick bites include:
• Wear light-colored, protective clothing - long-sleeved shirts, pants, boots or sturdy shoes, and a head covering. Treat clothing with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin.
• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE). Walk in the center of trails so grass, shrubs, and weeds do not brush against you.
• Check yourself, children, other family members, and pets for ticks every two to three hours.
• Remove any tick promptly by grasping it with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible and gently, but firmly, pulling it straight out. Wash your hands and the tick bite site with soap and water.
For more information on how to protect yourself from ticks, visit the Kane County Health Department at KaneHealth.com/Pages/Ticks.aspx