3 days ago
Check yourself for ticks, says Ontario kid who caught Lyme disease
Kid's infection left him unable to walk for weeks
⭐️HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW⭐️
Jack Waghorn, 12, couldn't walk for weeks after getting Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is spread from small bugs called ticks and can have many symptoms.
The Kanata, Ontario, boy never found a tick on his body.
He had to go in and out of hospital several times and spent weeks at home recovering.
Read on to find out how to stay safe and avoid Jack's experience. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
Throughout all his time playing Fortnite, 12-year-old Jack Waghorn had never come close to getting past level 300.
But when Lyme disease left him unable to walk, the Kanata, Ontario, boy had a lot of free time at home to make that happen.
'My friends were like, 'How are you even on this game that much?' I was like, 'Well, I haven't been able to leave my house for weeks,'' he told CBC Kids News.
Lyme disease is a growing problem in Canada and — although Jack made a full recovery — his illness was quite scary at times and led to a lot of time in the hospital.
Scientists say Lyme disease has been on the rise in recent years. and that better testing more awareness of the illness has led to more cases being diagnosed.
We spoke with Jack to hear his story and share tips for you to help protect yourself.
What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is passed on through ticks — spider-like bugs that range from the size of a sesame seed to a raisin.
Ticks are most often found in tall grasses, wooded areas and bushes.
You can read more about ticks and where they're found in Canada here.
Ticks: What they are, how to avoid them and what to do if you find one
They like to jump onto humans and animals to feed, especially in crevices like behind the ears, in the groin or armpits and behind the knees.
Sometimes, but not always, their bites pass on Lyme disease.
Typically, a tick needs to be attached to your body for more than 24 hours before it can make you sick, according to experts.
Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose because it can affect many parts of the body and be mistaken for other illnesses.
That said, early symptoms (typically within three to 30 days) can include:
A circular or bull's-eye-like rash or other unusual rash.
Flu or cold-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches and headaches.
Extreme fatigue.
Swollen lymph nodes.
Stiff neck.
Muscle spasms.
Facial paralysis.
Lyme disease can last for many years in the body if it isn't treated and lead to more severe symptoms, including cognitive problems, consistent fatigue, joint and skeletal pain and organ damage, among others.
Jack's story
Jack was playing indoor mini-golf with his friends in February 2023 when he fell and hurt his knee.
A few days later, his knee was super swollen and he had a hard time walking, so he and his mom went to the emergency room.
'They didn't know what it was because there were so many things they thought it could be based on my symptoms,' said Jack.
Because Lyme disease can present in many different ways, it's not uncommon for people to go a long time without receiving a diagnosis.
Jack also didn't have a bull's-eye rash, a headache or any of the other common symptoms. No ticks were found on his body.
Jack Waghorn says he's now extra careful about checking for ticks whenever he goes home from outdoor adventures after getting Lyme's disease. (Image submitted by Leslie Waghorn)
The doctors tested him for many things — including Lyme disease — and sent him home to wait for results.
A few days later, he woke up with a very high fever and his knee was so swollen that he couldn't walk.
'I felt like I was going to puke and I was boiling hot. It was awful,' he said.
Jack went to the hospital two more times before they were finally able to diagnose him with Lyme disease.
'I thought: 'Oh my God, finally, they know what I have and I don't have to keep going in and out of the hospital,'' he said.
Because it was the middle of winter, Jack's doctors said he was likely bit the previous summer while playing outdoors and didn't notice at the time.
He was given a one-month course of antibiotics and, after a few weeks, Jack could walk again and felt back to normal.
Staying safe
Jack said he's now more cautious about ticks and wants other kids to do the same.
'I swear, whenever there is a grassy area where the grass is a bit tall, I'm always like' 'Nope.''
He also does regular tick checks whenever he goes outdoors with his dad or with his Boy Scout group and wants other kids to start doing the same.
Ticks can hide in hard-to-see areas. This illustration from the Nova Scotia Health Authority points out important areas to check when you get back from playing outside. (Image credit: Nova Scotia Health Authority)
To stay safe from ticks, you can:
Try staying away from areas with long grass, wooded areas and shrubs.
Wear long sleeves and long pants.
Tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks.
Use bug spray that says 'DEET' or 'Icaridin' on it. These ingredients are known to be effective against ticks.
Wear light-coloured clothing, which will make it easier to see ticks and will keep you cooler than dark fabrics.
Ask someone you trust to help you do a tick check after you've been outside.
When doing a tick check, check both your body and your clothes.
If you find a tick on your body, it's important to remove it safely. You can read about how to do that here.
If you find a tick or have been to an area where ticks are usually found and you start to feel sick, seek medical care.
