Mom goes viral for sharing absolutely nightmarish seasonal tick reminder

It’s that time of year again—no, not spring. Tick season. It’s easy to forget about those annoying little buggers when you and your kids are outdoors, but this mom’s viral TikTok will serve as a good reminder that they exist. And not only that, they will make a home wherever they want to make a home. Including your child’s ear. Yep, you don’t even need to search “tick in ear” on TikTok or Google or WebMD because this video shows exactly how it goes down. Or, rather, in.

PEOPLE reports that mom Jessica DeLoach and her family had recently moved to a new home in the woods and were doing some yard work. After spending most of the day outdoors, DeLoach gave her 2-year-old daughter Averie a bath and noticed some serious irritation in her daughter’s ear.

She figured her little one jammed something in her ear, as toddlers are wont to do. So she contacted her pediatrician.

What happened next is…not for the weak of stomach.

“The removal process was very traumatizing as you have to hold the child still to remove items safely,” DeLoach says. “A 2-year-old just doesn’t understand what the doctor is trying to do.”

Related: 5 important tips to prevent Lyme disease in children

While working on Averie’s ear, doctors discovered not one, but two ticks inside of the toddler’s ear.

“I had no idea it was a tick until the doctor started removing it from her ear,” DeLoach says.

She shared the whole incident on TikTok to help raise awareness among other parents whose kids will spend plenty of time outdoors this summer. The video has been viewed over a million times in less than a week.

Although only about 35,000 Lyme disease cases are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year, an estimated 475,000 new cases are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, making Lyme disease the most common tick-borne disease.

What to do if your child gets a tick bite

1. Use a pair of fine-pointed tweezers. Place them as close to your skin as possible and grasp the tick’s mouth.
2. Firmly pull the tick straight out of the skin.
3. Wash the bite with soap and water.
4. You can try to identify the type of tick—here’s a comprehensive list.
5. Watch for signs and symptoms of Lyme disease.
6. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any concerns or questions.