Introduction

Ticks are common parasites that live in humid, wet, bushy environments like forests and bushlands. Parasites are animals that feed off humans and other animals. Ticks feed on blood from humans and other animals and will feed for days if they are not found.

Ticks will crawl onto grass, twigs, or leaves and wait for an animal or human to crawl or drop onto. They will then use their tiny teeth to bite and bury themselves in the skin so they can eat. 

When ticks bite, they release saliva, or spit, into the bloodstream. Tick saliva works to help the tick eat for as long as possible by:

  • numbing the skin
  • keeping the blood flowing by preventing clotting
  • opening up the blood vessels
  • stopping inflammation and swelling
  • stopping the immune system from recognising the parasite.

Tick saliva can also: 

  • carry diseases into the bloodstream
  • cause paralysis or difficulty moving properly 
  • cause severe allergic reactions
  • cause other allergies to develop.

 Signs and symptoms

Tick bites can be painless and may not cause any symptoms when they first happen. You or your child might notice a tick on the skin or under hair as it gets bigger from feeding.

Tick paralysis

Tick paralysis is a condition that can affect children who are bitten by ticks.

Symptoms of tick paralysis include:

  • weak legs
  • unsteady walking
  • loss of movement in the face and muscles
  • blurry vision
  • tiredness
  • slurred speech.

Anaphylaxis and tick bites

Some children are at risk of severe allergic reactions to spider bites. This is called anaphylaxis.

Signs of anaphylaxis include: 

  • wheezing, difficult, or noisy breathing 
  • swelling of the tongue
  • swelling or tightness in the throat
  • a persistent cough
  • difficulty talking or a hoarse voice
  • dizziness
  • becoming pale and floppy in young children
  • collapsing.

Children at risk of anaphylaxis may also vomit.

If your child has signs of anaphylaxis, you should:

  • follow your child’s ASCIA action plan for anaphylaxis if you have one
  • use an EpiPen® or Anapen®, if there is one available
  • call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.

Diagnosis

Tick bites can usually be treated at home with first aid and do not need a diagnosis.

Children who have an allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis, will need to see a specialist doctor, such as an immunologist or allergist, for testing and treatment.

Speak to the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 or your local doctor for more information.

Treatment

Tick bites are treated by safely removing the tick as soon as possible. The risk of allergies and anaphylaxis developing gets higher the longer a tick is attached and feeding.

First aid for tick bites will depend on whether your child has ever had an allergic reaction to ticks before.

Children who are not allergic to ticks

You should not try to pull or disturb the tick. Using tools like tweezers to grab and remove a tick can lead to:

  • the tick releasing more saliva into the bloodstream
  • infections from the head separating from the body and being left in the skin.

Ticks should be killed safely before removing. Ticks can be killed safely by using products that contain ether. These products are available from most pharmacies without a prescription and include:

  • sprays specially labelled to freeze and kill ticks
  • sprays to freeze or remove warts.

It may take up to ten minutes for the tick to die after being sprayed.

Once the tick is dead, you should be able to gently brush it away.

Wash the skin with soap and water before drying off and apply an antiseptic cream if there is one available.

Watch your child for any signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction. 

Go to your nearest doctor or emergency department if you cannot safely kill the tick on your own, or if the tick does not come away from the skin after freezing.

Call the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for further information and advice.

Children who are allergic to ticks

Children who are allergic to ticks or are showing signs of an allergy to ticks for the first time need urgent medical treatment.

If your child has a tick allergy and has been bitten by a tick, you should:

  • follow your child’s ASCIA action plan for anaphylaxis if you have one
  • use an EpiPen® or Anapen®, if there is one available
  • call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.

 Management

Mammalian meat allergy

Mammalian meat allergy (MMA) is a severe allergy that can develop after a tick bite.

MMA is an allergic reaction to meat and products like milk, fat and gelatin that come from mammals. 

Mammals are any kind of animal that makes milk to feed their young. This includes common animals used for food, like:

  • cows, including beef
  • pigs, including ham, bacon and pork
  • lamb and mutton, or sheep
  • deer or venison
  • kangaroo
  • goat
  • buffalo
  • rabbit.

MMA can develop weeks after a tick bite. 

Symptoms of MMA can develop anywhere from four to six hours after eating meat or products from a mammal. Symptoms can include:

  • abdominal or belly pain
  • cramps
  • nausea and vomiting
  • diarrhea – loose poos that are hard to control
  • runny nose.

Children who develop MMA are at a high risk for anaphylaxis.

Signs of anaphylaxis include: 

  • wheezing, difficult, or noisy breathing 
  • swelling of the tongue
  • swelling or tightness in the throat
  • a persistent cough
  • difficulty talking or a hoarse voice
  • dizziness
  • becoming pale and floppy in young children
  • collapsing.

If your child has signs of anaphylaxis, you should:

  • follow your child’s ASCIA action plan for anaphylaxis if you have one
  • use an EpiPen® or Anapen®, if there is one available
  • call Triple Zero (000) for an ambulance.

See your local doctor as soon as possible if your child is showing signs of MMA after a tick bite.

MMA should be diagnosed and managed by a specialist doctor.

Lowering the risk of tick bites

You can lower the risk of tick bites in high-risk areas by:

  • dressing your child in long-sleeved shirts, long pants and long socks when exploring or playing 
  • tucking your child’s pant legs into their socks to reduce the amount of exposed skin
  • checking your child’s skin and hair thoroughly after playing, particularly the ears and neck 
  • carrying a tick or wart-freezing product with you 
  • avoiding forests, bushlands, and long grass after rain
  • using child-safe insect repellent that contains up to 10% DEET
  • spraying clothing in insect sprays containing permethrin before and after being outside
  • placing clothes in a hot dryer for up to 20 minutes after being outside. 

When to see your doctor

See your local doctor or present to your nearest emergency department as soon as possible if your child shows the following symptoms anytime after a tick bite:

  • rashes
  • swelling
  • skin that feels hot
  • a bite that doesn’t heal
  • fever
  • tiredness
  • weakness
  • difficulty breathing
  • unusual sweating, especially at night.

Resources and more information

Disclaimer

This factsheet is provided for general information only. It does not constitute health advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat any health condition.

Please consult with your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for you and/or your child.

The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network does not accept responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions, the interpretation of the information, or for success or appropriateness of any treatment described in the factsheet.

© Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network 2024