New Albany Elementary School

In 2018, New Jersey reported 4,000 cases of Lyme disease in addition to more than 600 cases of other tick-borne diseases such as Ehrlichiosis, Anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Babesiosis, making it a major public health problem in the state. Luckily, there are some simple steps that you can take to reduce the chances that you and your child will become ill with Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases. The attached letter highlights what you should know about ticks and the prevention methods found to be most effective.

Children in the age range of 5-15 years old are consistently shown to have the highest rates of tick-borne illness. Thus, it is important that you help to protect your child and teach them how they can protect themselves against ticks. In addition to the information letter, there is a tick check calendar provided as a tool to keep track of when you perform tick checks. These are especially important in the warmer months of April-October when ticks are more likely to bite humans and children are more likely to be playing outside.