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Tick Bites in Children

A tick bite happens when a tick attaches to the skin and feeds on blood. The bite itself may cause little or no pain and can leave a small area of redness after the tick is removed.

Different species of ticks can carry different infections. Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other tick-borne illnesses are caused by germs that certain ticks can transmit.

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AAP Guide to Tick Bites in Children

The AAP guide below explains tick removal, what to watch for in the following weeks, and when to call us.

AAP Symptom CheckerTick bites

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Symptom CheckerTick bites New tab

When to see a doctor

Contact your pediatrician or another healthcare professional if:

  • You cannot remove the tick completely or are unsure how long it was attached.
  • Your child develops an expanding rash after the bite.
  • Fever, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, facial weakness or other new symptoms develop.
  • You have questions about whether the bite happened in an area with tick-borne disease.

Call 911 or get emergency care if:

  • Your child develops severe breathing trouble, paralysis, collapse or another life-threatening symptom.

Talk to a nurse now, at any hour

When can my child be seen

Be seen today.

Every office keeps same-day appointments for illness and injury.

This evening or at the weekend.

Most offices run After Hours Care, by appointment rather than walk-in.

If you are worried, call. We would rather answer a question that turns out to be nothing.

More on bites and stings

See the rest of this group and all 164 symptoms