Tick protection

How to protect your child from the consequences of a tick bite

Text last updated: 2023-07-04

Attention, tick alert!

With the warm season, the ticks also become active again. Children in particular like to be outdoors a lot. This increases the risk of being bitten by a tick in the meadow or forest and becoming infected with Lyme disease bacteria or TBE viruses. Read here what you need to know about vaccination and what other options there are to protect your child from the consequences of a tick bite.

Health risks from tick bites

The nasty little bloodsuckers usually sit in tall grass or bushes and like to drop onto the skin. There they attach themselves and can transmit Lyme disease or early summer meningoencephalitis (FSME).

Lyme disease is often difficult to detect. Symptoms of illness often do not appear until weeks after the tick bite. If Lyme disease is detected early, the disease can be treated well with antibiotics.

The situation is different with TBE. This is a viral infection that leads to inflammation of the meninges and spinal cord. Only the symptoms, such as fever or pain, can be treated. The pathogen itself cannot be combated. There is only prevention through vaccination.

Vaccinate: Yes or No?

Vaccination is considered the most effective protection against the consequences of infection with TBE. This applies to everyone who is outdoors a lot and especially affects small children. Because they like to play a lot in nature and usually close to the ground.

Especially if you live in a so-called risk area or want to go on vacation there, the "Standing Vaccination Commission", STIKO for short, recommends vaccination. You can view a map of tick risk areas at the Robert Koch Institute. This will make it easier for you to assess your risk.

Vaccination is considered well tolerated. The STIKO recommends it as the safest protection against early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE) for children as young as 12 months. There are two approved vaccines. As a side effect, children may experience fever for a few days. As children get older, this side effect decreases.

Three vaccinations are needed to build long-term protection, which lasts about five years. The protective effect already occurs after the second vaccination. The vaccinations are usually administered over a period of twelve months. If necessary, there is the possibility of obtaining full vaccination protection within five weeks.

The Federal Center for Health Education, BZgA, recommends that parents seek advice from their pediatrician's office and weigh the risks and benefits with a health care professional.

Cost of vaccination

The cost of a TBE vaccination is between 30 and 50 euros. If you live in a "risk area", the health insurance will cover the cost of the vaccination. Possibly this also applies if you want to go on vacation in a risk region. Clarify this question best before the trip with your health insurance.

The best precaution is to avoid tick bites as much as possible

A tick vaccination is only effective against TBE, a vaccination against borriolosis is not possible. Therefore, you should always protect your child from tick bites if possible. These tips can help:

Suitable clothing
Make sure you wear appropriate clothing: long pants and long-sleeved tops that fit snugly can keep ticks from getting on your child's skin. It is best to pull the socks over the pants.
Light clothing
If your child is wearing light-colored clothing, it is easier to see ticks that have fallen.
Solid shoes
Your child should wear sturdy shoes that are closed on all sides.
Regular scanning
If your child has been outside, check him or her regularly for ticks, especially after a trip to densely vegetated areas. Pay special attention to areas such as the scalp, neck, armpits, belly button, groin area and behind the ears.
Prevent
You can also prevent with insect repellent lotions. Apply the product to the uncovered areas of your child's skin. Please follow the manufacturer's instructions and check whether the product is suitable for your child's age.
Control pets
Do not forget to check your pets for ticks. Ticks that have not yet attached themselves easily get from the animal to the child.

What to do if my child was bitten by a tick?

Remove the tick as quickly as possible with tick forceps, a tick card or tweezers.
Important: Avoid squeezing or twisting the tick. Doing so could burst the body of the tick and bacteria enter your child's body.
Therefore, grasp the tick by the head, as close to the skin as possible, and slowly pull the tick out.
It is best to mark the bite site with a ballpoint pen and observe whether there are any skin changes such as redness at the site over the next few days. Both then and in case of fever or pain as a result of a tick bite, you should visit a doctor's office.

Where can we find help and advice?

For questions about tick protection and possible vaccination, you can contact your pediatrician's office.

For information about vaccination against TBE, visit the website of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA).

Answers to frequently asked questions about the TBE vaccination can be found on the website of the Robert Koch Institute.

The University Hospital of Bonn has created a helpful video on proper tick removal.

To download and print, there is a tip sheet of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) for protection against ticks and their removal.

"Why I have to be careful of ticks" is the name of a children's booklet from the Borreliose und FSME Bund Deutschland e.V. It can be downloaded free of charge and is well suited for reading aloud.