Wisconsin Takes Action After Spike in Tick Bite Emergency Visits

If it feels like ticks are everywhere this spring, you're not imagining things.

Experts have been warning us for months that ticks would be especially bad this spring and summer throughout Illinois and Wisconsin, and they were absolutely correct.

If you haven't been taking precautions to protect yourself from ticks, the time to start is now.

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Downfall of Mild Winters

This past winter was a mild one in northern Illinois, which was great at the time, but not so great now.

When winters aren't consistently cold enough to kill off large numbers of ticks, more survive into spring. Add in plenty of moisture and an abundance of deer and small animals that serve as tick hosts, and you've got the perfect recipe for a huge boom of disease-carrying bloodsuckers.

Emergency rooms and urgent care facilities throughout Illinois and Wisconsin have already seen high numbers of tick-related visits this year, and it will only get worse if we don't start protecting ourselves.

Tick bite

How to Protect Yourself From Ticks

Summer is meant to be spent outdoors, and if those adventures take place in wooded areas or fields, make sure you follow these precautions from the Illinois Department of Public Health:

• Wear an EPA-approved insect repellent that contains 20% DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
• Wear light colored clothing to make tick spotting easier, and long pants tucked into your socks.
• Stay on marked trails and avoid tall grass whenever possible.
• Check yourself, your children, and pets for ticks immediately after spending time outside.
• Shower within two hours of coming indoors to help spot any hitchhikers.
• Put your clothes in the dryer on high for 10 minutes (or one hour for damp clothes) to kill ticks.

Tick Check Stations In Wisconsin

The ticks situation has become such a concern in southern Wisconsin that officials in Dane County have installed "Tick Check Stations" in several of their public parks to remind visitors to check themselves for ticks.

As someone who didn't know they had a tick attached to their body until several hours later, I think these simple tick check stations are a great idea. Catching and removing ticks quickly is key to preventing serious illnesses such as Lyme disease.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Illinois Department of Public Health begins installing similar stations in popular parks throughout this state as well.

Whether you're hiking, camping, fishing, visiting a park, or just mowing the lawn this summer, DO NOT forget to do a quick tick check before heading back indoors!