Issue link: http://hvparent.uberflip.com/i/1094647
30 Hudson Valley Parent n April 2019 Thriving in the Hudson Valley tick hotbed About a decade ago, Keesing's son Ben contracted anaplasmosis, another tick-borne illness with symptoms like Lyme disease that can become dangerous if not treated quickly. Fortunately, Ben's case was caught early, and a full round of antibiotics brought him back to health. But many Hudson Valley residents are not so lucky. The region is a hotbed of tick activity, according to state data released last year that revealed that counties in the Hudson Valley have both the highest number of deer ticks as well as the highest percentage of Lyme disease-carrying ticks in the state. That's not too surprising, given that ticks thrive in the wooded areas that are so common to the region. But it means parents should be especially vigilant when their kids have been out hiking or playing in the woods. "It's a good idea to have children wear long, light-colored pants tucked into light-colored socks," Keesing says. "That makes it easier to find ticks before they get onto the skin." Trust your mom instinct Perry advises moms to always trust their gut. When her son was bit, the tick wasn't visible, and her son never developed a rash or any other visible symptoms. "But my gut told me that something was wrong, and I pressed it, and I'm so glad I did," she says. Elora Tocci is a communications director and freelance writer from Newburgh. Pamela Perry's son, Benjamin (right), has an allergy to the medications normally used to treat Lyme disease. His special medications were hard to get and store and were very strong. LYME DISEASE (Continued from Page 29)