Summer camp is an exciting time for kids to explore nature, make new friends, and create unforgettable memories. As a parent, you want to ensure your child has a fun and carefree time while remaining safe. Before your child heads off to camp, take the time to educate them about ticks, how they can be encountered, and the potential dangers they pose. As they head off to camp armed with that knowledge, send them off with some tips and items to help them even more! In this blog, we’ll discuss the essential tips for preparing your child for a fun and tick-free summer camp adventure.
Pack Tick-Repellent Clothing and Gear
Whether it’s a sleepaway or day camp, you will likely send your kid off with a bag packed with essentials and safety items. Just as you would pack them snacks, sunscreen, and a few fun extras, you should also pack them some tick essentials to keep in their bag. We suggest:
Nature’s Shield Plant Based Repellent: This all-natural tick repellent protects against ticks. It’s DEET-free and protects against mosquitos, gnats, noseeums, and other biting insects.
TickSee Kit: Our TickSee kit includes a hands-free glow-in-the-dark flashlight that fits right on your thumb- illuminating the area to ensure you completely remove the tick. We also include a magnifying lens, alcohol wipes, and an Original Tick Key™.
Cutter Lyme Disease Tick Testing Kit: This kit includes everything needed to remove and send off the tick for testing; however, we recommend doing removal with an Original Tick Key™! For an additional fee, the tick can also be tested for other tick-borne illnesses.
Original Tick Key™: Our Original Tick Key™ was created to make tick removal safe and easy, and using one ensures proper removal
Proper Clothing: No need to send your kid off in a turtleneck. However, sending them with long-sleeved shirts, long pants, hats, and long socks is a great way to ensure they can have extra protection from ticks.
Establish a Daily Tick-Check Routine
Teach your child to perform a daily tick check on themselves, their clothes, and their belongings. Teach them to pay special attention to areas like the scalp, behind the ears, armpits, waist, and back of the knees.
How to Properly Remove Ticks from Kids
Let your child know that if they notice a tick at camp, they should go straight to the nurse or a counselor, and if at home, straight to an adult. Proper tick removal is crucial to reduce the risk of infection. Most people use tweezers; however, tweezers can increase the risk of crushing the tick, causing it to vomit potentially infective body fluid into the host. Tweezers can also lead to incomplete removal.
To use the Original Tick Key™, place the key over the tick in the slot. Pull the key away from the tick, sliding flush along the skin. That’s it! After removing the tick, clean the bite area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol, and monitor for any signs of rash or illness.
If you’re using a Cutter Lyme Disease Tick Testing Kit, follow the instructions to send it off for testing. If not, soak the tick in isopropyl alcohol before flushing it down the toilet.
Tip: If you’re sending your child to camp with an Original Tick Key™, check out our how-to guide. Print off the instruction sheet and pack it with them so that any adult can safely use the Original Tick Key™ to aid in removal.
This summer, protect your loved ones with products by TickKey International Inc. Our Original Tick Key™ and TickSee are efficient and reliable tools for properly removing ticks. Our partnership with Home First LLC (Nature’s Shield Plant Based Repellent) and EPA Enterprises (Cutter Lyme Disease Tick Testing Kit) allows us to provide prevention, removal, and testing. Visit our website today to explore our range of products and safeguard your family against ticks.