Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- Tick season is here and you may notice more of them during the summer months.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this could be one of the worst summers on record for ticks.
Deborah Greenhouse, a pediatrician with Palmetto Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic, said she has received a number of phone calls about children with tick bites, as well as concerns that children have Lyme disease.
"Quite frankly, it's not seen frequently here, but it is seen in folks who have traveled in mid-Atlantic states," said Greenhouse.
The most common tick-born illnesses in South Carolina are Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Ehrlichiosis.
Symptoms of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever:
- Fever
- Rash
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Muscle pain
Symptoms of Ehrlichiosis:
- Fever
- Headache
- Chills
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Confusion
"If your children are routinely playing outside, which they should be, then you should check them every day. That is the easiest way to prevent tick-borne illnesses," said Greenhouse.
Greenhouse said tick-borne illnesses are treatable, if it's diagnosed early.
