New At-Home Tick Test Adds Pediatric Telehealth Support for Families

Finding a tick attached to your child's skin can leave you with several questions. Was it carrying bacteria? How long was it there? Should your child see a doctor?

A new initiative from biotech company LymeAlert aims to give families quicker information about potential exposure while making medical guidance easier to access. The company announced its partnership with My Pediatric Doctor and My Adult Doctor on October 29, 2026, extending access to pediatric and adult telehealth services across all 50 states.

The announcement also introduces LymeAlert's at-home testing kit, which is designed to identify Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium responsible for Lyme disease, in a removed tick. According to the company, the test provides a result in approximately 30 minutes. Its kit includes the Tick Crusher, a portable device that processes the tick before the sample is examined using a test strip. The company is currently accepting preorders, with another production batch expected to ship in late 2026 and regular deliveries anticipated to begin in January 2027. The product is available for preorder through LymeAlert.

The testing kit is connected to a digital platform that provides instructions, helps users interpret test-strip results, and offers information about local tick activity. Families can also access telehealth options through the platform. Through the new partnership, My Pediatric Doctor provides access to pediatric clinicians nationwide, giving parents another way to discuss concerns following a tick bite. Virtual care can help families understand their concerns and determine whether further medical evaluation is needed.

There is an important distinction parents should understand before relying on a tick test. LymeAlert examines the removed tick, not the child. A positive result means the bacteria was detected in that tick, but it does not establish that the bacteria entered your child's body. A negative result also cannot guarantee that your child is free from infection, particularly if another tick bite went unnoticed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention generally advises against using commercial tick-testing results to make treatment decisions because these tests may not follow the same quality-control standards as clinical diagnostic laboratories. Parents should not delay medical care while waiting for a tick-test result.

What should you do when you discover a tick on your child?

• Remove it as soon as possible using clean fine-tipped tweezers

• Grip the tick close to the skin

• Pull upward with steady pressure

• Avoid twisting, crushing, burning, or applying petroleum jelly to make it detach

• Clean the bite area afterward

Over the following weeks, watch for possible signs of illness. Early Lyme disease symptoms can appear between 3 and 30 days after a bite and include fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle or joint aches, and an expanding rash. Not every rash has the familiar bull's-eye appearance. The CDC recommends seeking medical attention if symptoms develop after possible exposure.

For parents, quick information is helpful, but knowing what to do next matters even more. An at-home tick test may provide additional information about the removed tick, but it does not replace a medical assessment or testing of the person who was bitten. Through its partnership with LymeAlert, My Pediatric Doctor is helping families access pediatric telehealth guidance when questions arise. Visit My Pediatric Doctor to learn more about connecting with a board-certified physician for your child's healthcare concerns.

References / Sources

1. PRWeb. LymeAlert Expands Access to At-Home Tick Testing and Nationwide Telehealth Support. October 29, 2026.

2. LymeAlert. At-Home Tick Testing Kit.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What to Do After a Tick Bite.

4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Signs and Symptoms of Untreated Lyme Disease.

5. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Removing Ticks: The Dos and Don'ts.