Finding a tick attached to your child’s scalp can be frightening, especially when you discover it hidden among the hair.
Because ticks can transmit certain infections, including Lyme disease in areas where it occurs, it is important to take the situation seriously—but there is no need to panic.
The most important steps are to remove the tick correctly, clean the area, and monitor your child afterward.
The image accompanying this article shows a tick attached near the scalp, along with a close-up of a tick. It highlights why checking a child’s hair and scalp after outdoor activities can be so important.
Here is what parents should know.
What Is a Tick?
A tick is a small arachnid that feeds on the blood of animals and humans.
Ticks are commonly found in places such as:
Wooded areas
Tall grass
Bushes
Gardens
Forest trails
Areas where wild animals live
Ticks don’t typically jump from trees onto people. Instead, they often wait on vegetation close to the ground and attach themselves when a person or animal brushes against them.Anatomy
Once on the body, a tick may crawl around looking for a suitable place to attach.
In children, ticks may be found on:
The scalp
Behind the ears
The neck
The hairline
Armpits
Groin
Behind the knees
That’s why checking the entire body after outdoor activities can be useful.Biological Sciences
Is a Tick on the Scalp Dangerous?
Finding a tick does not automatically mean that your child will become sick.
The main concern is that certain ticks can transmit infections.
The risk depends on several factors, including:
The geographic region
The species of tick
Whether the tick was carrying an infectious organism
How long the tick was attached
Whether transmission actually occurred
Lyme disease is one of the best-known tick-borne infections in parts of Europe and North America.
However, not every tick carries the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, and not every tick bite results in infection.
First: Don’t Panic
