The Garden School Tattler

Here's a tip from Stacy:

Tic Removal

Please forward to anyone with children . Or hunters, etc!! Thanks!
A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- And It
really works!!

I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best way to remove a
Tick.

This is great, because it works in those places where it's sometimes
Difficult to get To with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head
full of dark hair, Etc.

Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the
Soap-soaked cotton ball And let it stay on the repulsive insect for a few
seconds (15-20), after Which the tick will come out on it's own and be
stuck to the cotton ball When you lift it away. This technique has worked every
time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic
for the patient And easier for me.

Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be Damaging
in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice Because she had
one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with Tweezers. She used
this method and immediately called me back to say, "It Worked!"

Comment: With summer just around the corner, it's really necessary to take this kind of thing seriously. If a child does have a tic bite, and develops flu like symptoms, it's time to see the doctor and be very definite about getting that child on an antibiotic.

Summer illness is no joke. Many antibiotics require a child to be quiet and remain out of the sun. This is no time to take an ill child to the pool or on a long field trip.

Dressing children in clothes that are cool is important - keep it simple: short sleeved t-shirts to prevent shoulder burn, knee length shorts for comfort and cotton underwear socks and athletic shoes. Kids who wear sandals can't play in pea gravel - duh, and kids who wear over-sized shorts that balloon to the ankles are just miserable and look like they are wearing a dress. Please be kind and dress children like "children." The adolescent "hang drapery like" shorts are a statement not a dress code. The statement says, "I can't do anything" (because my clothes won't let me and my pride is confused) and that's not the image we are trying to teach at the GS.