Lyme disease awareness for the summer months

Now that all the snow is gone and the heat has set in, the tendency is to move outdoors. However, lurking even in the trimmed, short grass of your back yard is a disease easier to catch than most imagine. In grassy areas that back up to woods, or yards that provide a walkway for deer and other foraging creatures, are also home to deer ticks--speck-sized harbingers of Lyme disease. Kids playing in the yard, adults gardening, or a simple stroll through the grass can give way to a tick bite, which typically is barely noticeable to the human eye. Despite current assumptions, deer ticks are not specific to the New England area, but are traceable across the globe. As the summer months commence, families need to be aware of tick movement and make active tick checks after spending a day outside. A great guide to ticks and all things Lyme disease is provided by a Lyme resource center called Turn the Corner Foundation.

Please stay aware and alert. A tiny tick bite can instigate a multitude of debilitating symptoms, which are ultimately preventable.