Hi WorriedMom - sorry you are having to deal with this.

Take a picture of the bite/rash and take him to the Dr.

Ask for antibiotics - he will need to take them until he is symptom free for 4 weeks.

An EM rash is Lyme Disease.
You can also schedule an appt with a LLMD in case it doesn't resolve and you need someone more knowledgeable to treat him. Explain to the receptionist that it is a new bite - she may be able to squeeze your son in sooner than later.

In addition to recommendations from members here, you can also email me for LLMD names.

Here are the ILADS Lyme Treatment Guidelines. Scroll down to page 18 for antibiotics and doses. You can also see the treatment categories showing how long to treat.
Maybe show them to your sons Dr.

www.lymenet.org/BurrGuide200810.pdf

If you enable your e mail address I'll give you my doctor in NJ

Let us know how it goes, Worried-Mom!

Thank you!

I had the tick in a ziplock bag but my husband smashed it and it ended up in the trash. It was before the rash appeared and we didn't know better.

Regular pediatrician is sending a rx for Western Blot test and told me to apply neosporin or bacitracin to the bite 3x daily. No rx for antibiotics.

I already contacted a Lyme specialist in DC who just started accepting new patients again. Hopefully she will answer me soon. I was told not many treat children this young and "There are NO good LLMD's in NJ. NJ is a wasteland of bad docs." Not very reassuring. I did not receive any recommendation for a doctor in NJ yet anyway.

Meanwhile, I am following the Protocol for Lyme Disease Using Homeopathy by Joette Calabrese, HMC, CCH, RSHom(Na) (https://joettecalabrese.com/blog/protocol-lyme-disease-using-homeopathy/) and ordered Astragalus to help strengthen his immune system.

My son said it is not hurting anymore. It is reddish though. He has no other symptoms but I really don't want to wait.

The tick was removed on 6/26, I saw the rash at the bite site on 7/9 and started the above protocol as soon as the homeopathic pills arrived (7/11). I saw the new rash (same area but not where the bite is) yesterday. I just about freaked out.

It has been last than a month since the bite, and I believe (hope) he can recover without other symptoms if we treat it soon. He has never been sick other than 3-5 common colds that last a week or less, and have never taken/needed medicine before (not even analgesics - Tylenol, Motrin...). He is a strong and healthy boy and hopefully will continue this way.

This is a nightmare. Thank you to all of you who took the time to answer.

Oh my goodness, I would be demanding antibiotics. You poor thing, having to sit around and wait for your tests to come back (wait, are you still waiting on the order??) and then who knows how they will choose to interpret the test. Generally they can give you short term antibiotics to get it going but maybe they are resistant because of his age... that's dumb because I have gotten antibiotics for my four year olds for other things. Maybe you should take him to a different doctor. Make sure they give you an Elisa test too just in case the antibodies don't show up in time for the western blot. Put pressure on them to get things done, this is your baby and time is of the essence. Good luck! I hope it all turns out well.