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Tick paralysis is a rare neurologic syndrome caused by a neurotoxin in the saliva of certain ticks (particularly Dermacentor species in North America). It is not an infection. It is more commonly seen in children, where smaller body mass amplifies the toxin's effect.
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Watch for, with a tick still attached:
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Unsteady gait or ataxia, often noticed first in the legs.
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Ascending weakness over hours.
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In late cases, difficulty swallowing or breathing - this is a medical emergency.
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Treatment:
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Find and remove the tick. Check the entire scalp; ticks tucked at the hairline are easy to miss.
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Use the standard fine-tipped-tweezers method - grasp at the skin, lift straight up.
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Symptoms typically begin to reverse within hours of removal and resolve within 24 hours.
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Seek emergency care if breathing or swallowing is affected.
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A child who suddenly cannot walk: check for ticks before anything else.