;
We got into a room quickly, thank God, and were seen almost right away. The doctor talked to us for a minute and said over the past 15 years he had seen about 7 or 8 children her age with identical symptoms and more than likely she had a tick. They looked her over, combed through her hair really well and sure enough found a tick hiding in her hair.
This condition is called tick paralysis. It can affect dogs also and can be fatal. I’m glad we took her in when we did and that it wasn’t something worse and that we found it before it got worse.
The ticks are out like crazy right now in this area so if your children or dogs start acting a little off, check them thoroughly for ticks!
I feel awful for not having seen the little bugger sooner but I never would have even thought to look for a tick. It’s crazy that a little bug can do this!
We’re still in the ER. Now that the tick has been removed, Evelyn should start feeling like herself in a couple of hours. She’s enjoying popsicles and watching cartoons
They want to monitor her for a little longer then we can go home
Crazy morning
It turns out that a simple tick caused Evelyn’s temporary paralysis which could have been a lot worse if left untreated. Lewis also explained what tick paralysis is for those who are unaware of the illness:
“Tick paralysis results from injection of a toxin from tick salivary glands during a blood meal. The toxin causes symptoms within 2–7 days, beginning with weakness in both legs that progresses to paralysis. The paralysis ascends to the trunk, arms, and head within hours and may lead to respiratory failure and death. The disease can present as acute ataxia without muscle weakness”
For more information on Tick paralysis:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick_paralysis
http://www.cvbd.org/…/…/tick-paralysis/human-tick-paralysis/
Here is a video of the little girl before her parents took her to the hospital:
Do you know someone who has experienced the same symptoms? Share this story with them. Don’t forget to leave your comments below as well!
