How to protect yourself effectively against ticks

The most important points in brief

• Ticks are a serious threat in spring and summer because they can transmit diseases to humans.
• There is a highly effective vaccination against TBE, but not against borreliosis transmitted via a bacterium.
• However, you can protect yourself pretty well against ticks and should carefully check yourself and especially the children for stuck bloodsuckers in the evening.
• If a tick bite is found on the body, you have to remove the parasite completely.

We do not need to explain in more detail that tick bites can be dangerous for health, the virus disease TBE and the borreliosis caused by bacterial transmission can be the consequences. In this article we would like to give you practical tips on how to protect yourself efficiently against a tick bite.

Where ticks stay

There used to be the opinion that ticks let themselves fall from trees in the forest and then cling to people - but that clearly belongs in the realm of legend. The animals live in tall grass, bushes, thickets, undergrowth or undergrowth. You brush against them in passing and they hold on to us. This can also happen on a mown meadow in the outdoor pool, which is why children playing everywhere can be at risk.

Of course, children shouldn't always be forbidden to play in the grass or roam around in the bushes, especially in urban areas the risk is manageable. When hiking in nature, however, it is absolutely advisable - not only for children - not to leave the paths and to roam through bushes or undergrowth. Headgear is also highly recommended. In addition, long sleeves, long trouser legs and socks, because ticks cannot bite through textiles. It is also ideal if the long clothing is as light as possible, as this makes it much easier to identify and remove it.

Put socks on your trouser legs, stroke animals and tick repellent

Even if it may not be the latest in fashion: Pull your socks over your trouser legs so ticks have no chance of getting on your skin. When you are out and about, you and your children should not pet animals that you meet on the way; Ticks can sit in the fur of cats and many other animals.

Tick protection is available in various forms, such as a spray or lotion; these always work for a few hours, after which they have to be reapplied. Tick ​​repellants for babies, children, adults and even pets that work with ultrasonic pulses are new.

Thoroughly check the body for ticks

But you should be honest when it comes to ticks: Of course you can't 100 percent rule out the possibility of being bitten. Especially since the tick does not bite where it has the first skin contact, but crawls on until it comes to a soft, fleshy place: in the genital area, in one of the armpits, in the back of the knees and in many other parts of the body.

For this reason, it is imperative that you check yourself and especially your children for tick bites every evening in the spring and summer. Do not spare any part of the body, ticks also like to bite into the ears. A complete removal of the animals is necessary, but they should not be crushed, as they then expel more saliva and the risk of infection with one of the diseases increases. For example, tick cards are good at removing the parasites.