Every year
Every year the temperature on Earth is getting warmer, and the number of insects and ticks is increasing. According to an American study, the number of diseases caused by ticks has tripled in the last 15 years.
No matter how many experts urge us to wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts, it’s not always easy to follow their advice during the hot summer months, and staying indoors isn’t always the best option – nothing beckons us outdoors like the sunshine and warm temperatures after a long, hard winter. But for all that, it’s important to remain cautious. SHARE no one needs to go through what five-year-old Mason McNair had to go through. Unfortunately, his experience is more common than we think and can lead to much worse consequences. Facebook/Christopher McNair It all started when Mason was playing with his grandparents one day. But when Mason’s grandmother bathed him at home, she discovered a tick in his belly button. She safely removed the tick, but the tick site was still red and swollen. They went to the doctor, who prescribed antibiotics for the boy, but things soon got worse: the boy developed a rash, fever and abdominal pain. Facebook/Danielle McNair “It really felt like a heat rash. We were outside that weekend, it was really hot,” says Danielle McNair, Mason’s mother. However, the rash began to spread quickly and soon covered most of his body. However, his family doctor said there was nothing to worry about. Facebook/Danielle McNair The red patches were thought to be a delayed reaction to antibiotic treatment. “I was not satisfied with that answer. I started looking for information on the Internet. I called my sister, who is a veterinarian,” Danielle told USA Today. Facebook/Danielle McNair Eventually, the concerned mother demanded that the doctor help identify the tick-related illness she was sure her son had. Danielle was certain that Mason had a disease known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). A tick bite can cause more than just Borrelia and TBE. Studies have shown that ticks also cause RMSF, an infection similar to borrelia. And that’s what poor Mason contracted. Facebook/Danielle McNair The symptoms: fever, headache and rash all matched the boy’s symptoms. Unfortunately, RMSF is not as well known as Borrelia and TBE, so many people overlook it and ignore the symptoms. Found in different areas Despite the name, RMSF doesn’t just affect people living near mountains. It has been found in several parts of the Americas as well as around the world. People suffering from it require a special type of antibiotic treatment.
Danielle is sharing her and her son’s experience to raise awareness of this potentially fatal disease. Facebook / Danielle McNair “If I hadn’t done my own research and followed through, we would be in a completely different situation with my son. And it’s scary. It’s so scary,” she says. Good thing the young mum decided to find out what was really going on with her son. In June 2017, a two-year-old girl died from the same disease after a doctor failed to properly diagnose her. According to Dr. Paige Armstrong, a medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children are especially prone to showing unusual symptoms when they contract the disease. “Protect your child” This is the most likely reason why children are so often misdiagnosed. Danielle is now keen to raise awareness: ‘I want to empower parents to always be an advocate for their child. Use your own voice, make sure you do your own research. Doctors are people too, they are human beings too. But that doesn’t mean they know everything,” she says. Today, Mason has made a full recovery thanks to Danielle’s time to make the right diagnosis before it was too late. Facebook / Danielle McNair Please share this story to raise awareness about typhus!
