No items found.

Explosion in the tick population draws attention to rare Lyme disease symptoms in children

For 11-year-old Jake Diaz, being outside is complicated. He loves playing golf, but he worries about ticks, because he’s lived with Lyme disease for more than half of his life.

“It kind of takes me over and I'm not controlling my body anymore,” Jake said.

Initially, doctors diagnosed Jake with anxiety and childhood depression. He was prescribed antidepressants.

“That was when things got infinitely worse,” Jake's father, Ray Diaz, said. “Jake was trying to physically harm himself. Jake was trying to jump out of moving cars. We were at Radio City Music Hall for the Christmas Spectacular, and we got out of there and he just took off and sprinted away from us in the middle of Manhattan.”

Jake’s mother Stacy Diaz, said it was a matter of life or death: “When you see your eight year old child and you think that you might not see them tomorrow because of it, it's scary.”

The Diazes believe Jake was first exposed to an infected tick when he was two years old.

“Jake was outside playing golf, swinging the club,” said Stacy. “I called him for lunch and he looked at me and he stopped and he just didn't move. He couldn't walk.”

Continue reading this story about Jake Diaz and the rare Lyme Disease symptoms he is experiencing, written by Erin Billups here.

LAST UPDATED

May 8, 2022

Written by
Photo thumbnail Blog Author

Spectrum News

Media Mentions from Spectrum News

The 24-hour news network dedicated to NYC. NY1 is also on Facebook (NY1News) and Instagram (NY1).

MEDIA MENTIONS

Depending on where you travel, you may want to pack bug spray, too. In places like Florida and North Carolina, summers get buggy, and you’ll be happy to have packed a spray on nights when you want to sit on the porch or dine outdoors.

Madison Flager and Meaghan Kenny

MEDIA MENTIONS

As a veteran of the Iraq War, I found myself struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder from which greatly impacted my mental health. In 2016, I came across the film “Wild,” an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s memoir about healing by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).

LeAura Luciano

MEDIA MENTIONS

Sawyer Permethrin Premium Insect Repellent is used on clothing, not skin, and it provides long-lasting protection against ticks.

Wirecutter
Media Mentions from Wirecutter