Why Do You Need a Mite Scrapbook
Thanks in part to climate change, mites are exploring more areas (including your skin) than ever before . They used to be rare in my part of Pennsylvania, but lately I’ve had to take off a few of myself or family members every summer. Instead of worrying about each one again, start a scrapbook.
This idea comes from Jenna Whiston, who wrote about her “tick kit” for Scary Mommy . My own set for a checkmark consists of only one element – the TickKey, which allows you to remove the checkmark without touching it . (Get the tick removal device of your choice right now before you need it and hide it wherever you store essential first aid equipment.)
When you remove this checkmark, instead of drowning it, throwing it in the trash, or sending it for testing, just stick it on a piece of paper and write down who you removed it from and when.
Ask your doctor what to worry about and if they recommend antibiotics (for you) or tests (for you or for the tick). In many cases, especially if tick bites are common in your area, you are advised not to do anything unless there are other symptoms. Please refer to your doc on this.
But save this scrapbook. It is not only a source of happy summer memories, but also a record of exactly what bit your family members and when. If someone later develops symptoms of one of the many tick-borne diseases (Lyme is not the only one!), You may need to answer questions such as “Did she have any tick bites that you remember? When? I don’t think you know what that tick was? “
But you will find out. Even if you are not an entomologist, you have a checkmark right in your album, and you can turn it in for identification and testing, and also tell in the document when and how you found the tick. If you’re lucky, you won’t need this information. But if you do, you’ll be glad you have it.