I feel so blessed to have a fenced backyard for my boys to play in, especially now in the summer. My three-year-old, particularly, is becoming an outdoorsman and loves to poke around and make new discoveries. It made me very happy (though, I admit, slightly nauseated) the other day when he approached me, arm outstretched, and announced, “Look Mommy! This is my new friend, Mr. Millipede!” This is what childhood should be like.

But the Toronto Star has a piece on the “dark side of the backyard” that underscores some of the dangers from the wild that can lurk, even in a fenced-in yard. And summer, they note, is “prime time for some nasty zoonotic diseases – those passed from animals to humans – that lurk in the bird bath and fester on the deck.” Here’s their list of the biggies to watch for:

West Nile virus: This mosquito-borne illness made its way from Eastern Africa to North America around 1999, authorities believe. Symptoms appear two to 15 days after a mosquito bite, and can include fever, headache, body ache, nausea, vomiting and a rash on the chest, stomach or back. About 1% of those infected may experience even more serious symptoms, such as severe headaches, muscle weakness, tremors, and confusion, requiring hospitalization.

What to do? “Get rid of any puddles of water in the yard, cover up, and use DEET-based insect repellent.” (As mentioned in an earlier post, the CDC has specific guidelines on insect repellents and children here.)

Raccoon roundworm: This one really made me get serious about hand-washing after outdoor play. 60-70% of young raccoons are infected with Baylisascaris procyonis, or raccoon roundworm. This parasite’s eggs are found in raccoon feces, which can find its way into a child’s mouth through poor hygiene practices. From there, it can get into the bloodstream and into the eyes or the brain, resulting in serious disease or in some cases, death.

What to do? Make a habit of hand-washing after playing outside. If you find raccoon poop, use gloves to remove it, double bag and it and throw it in the garbage, and wash the area in where you found it down with hot water.

More tips from Medicine.net:

To prevent infection, avoid direct contact with raccoons, especially their feces. Do not keep, feed, or adopt raccoons as pets! Raccoons are wild animals. Discourage raccoons from living in and around your home or parks by removing access to food. Clear brush so raccoons are not likely to make a den on your property. Stay away from areas and materials that might be contaminated by raccoon feces. Raccoons typically defecate at the base of or in raised forks of trees, or on raised horizontal surfaces such as fallen logs, stumps, or large rocks. Raccoon feces also can be found on woodpiles, decks, rooftops, and in attics, garages, and haylofts. Feces usually are dark and tubular, have a pungent odor (usually worse than dog or cat feces), and often contain undigested seeds or other food items.

Bleh. Keep clear of us, Ranger Rick.

Rabies: Rabies is transmitted via the saliva of infected animals. According to the article in the Star, human cases of rabies are rare in North America. Nevertheless, rabies can be devastating, and by the time symptoms start (fever, cough or sore throat, and later, hallucinations and seizures), it’s usually too late.

What to do? Teach your kids that when it comes to animals, if it’s not their pet, leave it alone. If a bite happens, wash with soap and water and contact your doctor. Rabid bats can bite without your noticing it; if you wake up to a bat in your room, contact your health department, especially if you have young children.

Lyme disease: Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and is spread by infected deer ticks. Symptoms, which can occur one to two weeks after a bite, may include fever, headache, muscle ache, joint ache, fatigue, and a rash resembling a bull’s eye. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics.

What to do? Check yourself and your child for the ticks, which can be easy to miss, as they’re the size of poppy seeds.

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OK, this post is not meant to dissuade parents from giving their children plenty of outdoor time. In general, when there’s an opportunity to get paranoid, I’m first in line. But all the above ailments are thankfully rare.

My takeaway from these warnings is this:

• Don’t make it easy for mosquitoes to breed in your yard, and protect your kids from those that show up (I’ve had good luck with a couple herbal remedies, as it happens, but I’d likely opt for the big guns if I lived where West Nile is more common) ;
• Don’t set up a diner for raccoons, deer, and other wildlife in your yard;
• Get religious about hand-washing after outdoor play.

Of course, zoonotic hazards vary with geography. Contact your local health and wildlife departments to find out what to watch for in your region.

Posted by MommaSteph.