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Lyme Disease
Presentation at the Grange Tuesday,
March 24, 2009
By
special permission the committee presented the award winning film Under Our Skin, an Open Eye Pictures
production by Andy Abrahams Wilson. This film follows six people who suffer
from chronic Lyme disease focusing on their experiences with a medical system
that is largely uninformed. Variety calls the film a well researched
investigative documentary and favorably compares it to Michael Moore’s “Sicko”.
The film has been an Official Selection at 6 film festivals including the
Rhode Island International Film Festival. Following
the film, a question and answer period was led by 3 Westport residents who
have extensive experience with Lyme disease and co-infections. In addition to
educational materials from The Lyme Disease Association and The International
Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, there was prevention information,
research references, and Lyme testing information. Also available was information for
purchasing or making 'tick tubes', a highly effective method to cut tick
populations in your yard. For
any persons interested in becoming involved in the committee’s educational
and prevention efforts, legislative efforts or in forming a local Lyme
disease support group, there were signup sheets at the presentation. For
more information, contact Barbara Smith at (508) 264-4841 or email sanctuarysmith@charter.net. Defending Against Ticks The best defense is indeed a
good offense, and so for those who continue to live in Lyme disease “ground
zero” and love to be out in nature or in the garden, there are some
precautions that are recommended. Be aware that there are no safe tick
seasons. Many people report bringing
ticks in on their Christmas trees! ·
If
outdoors for extended periods, check yourself every 3 hours. It has been
commonly believed that the jaw must remain in you for 24 hours in order to
have the bacteria transmitted, but that is now in question. ·
Tuck
pants into tightly woven socks and cover head if working in overhanging
brush. Wear light colored clothing to show up any ticks. ·
Use
tick repellant containing permethrin on shoes and clothing which will last up
to 2 weeks and several washings. Some
research has shown that permethrin is more effective than DEET. ·
The
most effective repellants that can be used on skin are Avon Skin So Soft
Mosquito, Flea and Deer Tick or Lewey’s Eco-Blend Insect Repellant. ·
Before
returning into the house, remove shoes outside and take clothing directly to
the dryer and dry on high for 30 minutes before washing them. Ticks can
survive a wash cycle and but are killed by dehydration. ·
Immediately
check your body carefully. Some ticks are the size of a period at the end of
a sentence and can easily be missed. A dry brush or your hands should be used
on the skin to insure that you have detected any ticks. Have your partner
check your back. ·
Shower
and shampoo immediately in very hot water. ·
If
a tick is attached to you, do not touch it with your fingers. The toxins can
be transmitted through your skin. Remove the tick with tweezers or one of the
many products on the market specifically for tick removal. Grasp it at the
head and be certain that it is all removed.
Contact your doctor immediately to discuss the possibility of
preventative antibiotics. ·
Save
the tick in a plastic bag so that it can be tested for Lyme or other
co-infections if you become ill. Do
not put it in alcohol. Date the bag. ·
Ticks
do not survive well in full sun, so remove any overhanging limbs. ·
Remove
brush or leaf piles. ·
Mow
lawn every week. Ticks tend to stay in high grasses and like the moisture in
longer grass. Do not sit on, climb
over stone walls or lean up against trees. ·
Check
your pets periodically throughout the day during tick season. Keep pets off of furniture and do not have
them share your bed. ·
Carefully
check children playing outside every 3 hours. Place play areas in full sun
and away from stone walls and high grasses. ·
Bird
feeders and bird baths attract animals that have ticks. ·
One
of the little known facts about infection-carrying ticks is that
approximately 80% of them spend the early stages of their lives living on the
bodies of field mice. Take measures to reduce the mouse population around
your property
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Events of Westport All rights
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