Finding something unusual in your child’s hair can be alarming, especially when you look closer and realize it may be a tick attached to the scalp. Ticks are small parasites that feed on blood and can attach themselves after a child spends time outdoors, particularly in grassy, wooded, or brushy areas. Because they can hide beneath thick hair, they may remain unnoticed for hours or even longer.

If you discover one, don’t panic or try to pull it off quickly with your fingers. Removing an attached tick correctly is important because squeezing, twisting, burning, or covering it with substances such as petroleum jelly or nail polish can make removal more difficult. Instead, you’ll need a simple tool and a careful technique. What you do during the next few minutes—and what you watch for afterward—can make an important difference.