- A young Sydney boy who was covered in tick bites has developed a meat allergy
- Sydney mother Susie Maher said her son Liam was covered in itchy rashes
- Liam, aged five, now lives with a red meat allergy after he was bitten by ticks
A five-year-old boy has developed a meat allergy after doctors believed he contracted an infection from tick bites.
Sydney mother Susie Maher said her son Liam was covered in itchy rashes all over his body and face after he was ravaged by ticks.
Little Liam now has a red meat allergy.
‘He came out in welts and very itchy. The end result for us was he contracted the mammalian meat allergy,’ Ms Maher told 7 News.
Liam Maher (pictured severely covered in tick bites) has developed a meat allergy after doctors believed he contracted an infection from tick bites
The heartbreaking photographs show a tearful Liam who appeared in pain after he was severely covered in tick bites.
Liam no longer has tick bites but he now lives with the allergy – a serious condition his mother regrets not treating properly.
‘It was upsetting,’ his mother said.
‘You do feel very guilty that if I had of removed the ticks properly, would he have gotten the reaction that he got.’
Vet Rob Zammit warned the condition has become so severe, he has seen five serious cases recently.
Sydney mother Susie Maher (pictured) said her son Liam was covered in itchy rashes all over his body and face after he was ravaged by the tick-borne condition
Little Liam no longer has tick bites but he now lives with the allergy – a serious condition his mother regrets not treating properly
He urged parents to check their children on a daily basis because it’s not just cats and dogs that are infected by tick bites.
Health experts believe Sydney is now in the grip of a tick outbreak.
Ticks have been spotted around Rouse Hill, Baulkham Hills, Box Hill, Engadine, Sutherland Shire and on the Northern Beaches.
Tiara medical specialist Associate Professor Sheryl van Nunen has shared some top tips to remove ticks if you find yourself in the situation.
‘Well, firstly, don’t get bitten,’ she said.
‘Dress for the occasion. So have a long sleeve shirt on… have your long trousers with your shirt tucked in, pull your socks up over your feet and treat your backyard – make it safe for your family.’
HOW DO YOU REMOVE A TICK?
Tick bites can cause mild to life-threatening allergic reactions to mammalian meats such as beef, pork, lamb, kangaroo, goat and venison.
The tick bites occur before any allergic reactions to mammalian meats. The allergic reactions to meat are typically delayed for 2-10 hours after eating the meat. The allergen in the meat to which people react is called ‘alphagal’.
If you are bitten by a tick, kill the tick where it is:
For small ticks: Use permethrin cream (available at pharmacies)
For adult ticks: Freeze them with an ether-containing spray (available at pharmacies)
Wait for the tick to drop off or remove it taking the utmost care to not compress the tick (as this will squirt allergen, toxin and possibly infection into you)
And remember, household tweezers are tick squeezers.
Source: Tick Induced Allergies Research & Awareness