If you’re feeling understandably on edge right now, remember that the fear of Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses should not keep you and your family indoors.

“This increases the amount of time ticks are active, and the amount of time we’re likely to be spending outside.” “Ticks can’t survive in extremely cold and snowy winters, however, spring and summer are starting earlier and ending later,” Dr. Lyme disease is often thought of as a summertime illness, but peak time is now longer than that, spanning from April-October. You’ll be shocked (not!) to hear that climate change has had a big impact on ticks and Lyme disease. Unfortunately, Lyme disease cases are on the rise across the country because rising temperatures have lengthened tick season. “Lyme disease has been found in all 50 states.” Casey Kelley, MD, ABoIM - a family physician with a specialty in tick-borne disease and a director on the board of the International Lyme and Associated Disease Society (ILADS) - tells SheKnows. “However, it’s a dangerous assumption to make that just because you don’t live in one of these states that you are safe from tick-borne disease,” Dr. There has also been an increase along the West Coast -especially in northern California - and in Southern states like Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. It’s also common in the Upper Midwest in states like Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois. I mean, it was discovered in Lyme, Connecticut after all. You’ve probably heard that the majority of cases of Lyme disease are found in the Northeast. And as with any medical concerns, remember it’s always OK (and often necessary, as many chronic Lyme patients will tell you) to get multiple opinions. That’s why SheKnows sat down with experts in the field to find out how you and your family can work to stay safe from Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses this summer.Īs always, if you have additional questions or any concerns, contact your child’s pediatrician or your primary care doctor. There are ways to prevent, identify, and treat Lyme disease, but there are also misconceptions. Others may be diagnosed (often after extended periods of time experiencing “mystery symptoms”) with chronic Lyme disease, which can leave them in pain for years to come. In those instances, patients typically find relief after taking antibiotics.

Some of those cases are of acute Lyme disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 500,000 people in the United States get Lyme disease each year, and experts say that number will continue to rise. Lyme disease is an infection that is transmitted when an infected tick bites a human.

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