Symptoms:

Children with tick paralysis develop an unsteady gait (ataxia) followed several days later by weakness in the lower legs that gradually moves up to involve the upper limbs.

Paralysis may cause breathing difficulties, which may require the use of a breathing machine.

The child may also have mild, flu-like symptoms (muscle aches, tiredness).

Signs and tests:

The person will have been exposed to ticks in some way. For example, he or she may have been on a recent camping trip, live in a tick-infested area, or have dogs or other animals that can pick up ticks. Often the tick is found only after thoroughly searching the person's hair.

Finding a tick embedded in the skin and noting above symptoms confirms the diagnosis. No other testing is required.