Saturday, May 9, 2026
CDC says ER visits for tick bites are the highest they've been since 2017, and young kids are most affected
Spring tick activity is well above average across much of the country, and children ages 0 to 9 are showing up in emergency rooms more than any other age group.
The good news: a few simple habits — using EPA-registered repellent, doing daily tick checks, and removing attached ticks promptly — dramatically lower the risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
Talk with your pediatrician if you find an attached tick or notice an expanding rash, fever, or unusual fatigue.
May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month. About 1 in 13 school-age kids has asthma — a great time to refresh your child's asthma action plan with your pediatrician.
Use fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick close to the skin, and pull straight up with steady pressure. Clean the area, then save the tick in a sealed bag in case your clinician wants to identify it.
The AAP and CDC say DEET repellents are safe for babies 2 months and older at concentrations up to 30%. Apply to clothing and exposed skin (not hands, eyes, or mouth), and wash off at the end of the day.
After federal changes scaled back universal recommendations, the AAP's 2026 immunization schedule still recommends routine vaccines protecting against 18 preventable diseases, including RSV, hepatitis A and B, flu, and meningococcal disease.
Kids with well-controlled asthma can usually participate fully in sports. A pre-game dose of a quick-relief inhaler — when prescribed — and a current action plan on file with the coach make a big difference.
With tick-bite ER visits at a multi-year high and children 0–9 leading those visits, this is the moment to push proactive prevention messaging. Consider an outreach note to families with outdoor activities or travel planned — covering repellent choice, daily tick checks, and when to call. Reinforce that doxycycline prophylaxis is now an option across all pediatric age groups when criteria are met, and make sure intake workflows flag attached-tick removal time so the 72-hour prophylaxis window isn't missed.
Source: CDC tick-borne disease surveillance and AAP / IDSA Lyme prophylaxis guidance
