“Symptoms of disseminated Lyme disease can occur days to months after the initial infection”
—Vermont Department of Health

Symptoms may include one or more of the following

  • Fatigue
  • Chills and fever
  • Muscle and joint pain (often migrating – appearing in different places in the body)
  • Headache
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Tiredness
  • EM rash or Atypical EM rash

According to the Vermont Department of Health, Lyme disease may spread to various parts of the body. This is called “disseminated Lyme disease.”

Symptoms associated with disseminated Lyme disease:
  • Numbness and pain in the arms or legs
  • Paralysis of facial muscles (usually on one side of the face, also known as “Bell’s palsy”
  • Fever
  • Stiff neck
  • Severe headaches
  • Abnormal heart beat
  • Joint pain and swelling
  • Meningitis
  • Chronic nervous system problems
  • Shooting pains
  • Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
  • Problems with concentration and short-term memory

Possible Symptoms in Children and Adolescents
source: Children’s Lyme Disease Network

▶ Fatigue
▶ Migratory Joint Pain
▶ Muscle Pain and Weakness
▶ Fevers
▶ Problems Sleeping
▶ Upset Stomach
▶ Irritability
▶ Impulsivity
▶ OCD-type Behaviors
▶ Brain Fog
▶ Bursts of Aggression/Rage
▶ Sensitivity to Light, Sound or Touch
▶ Slow Processing Speed
▶ Vision Difficulties/Double Vision
▶ Memory Problems
▶ Mood Disorders
▶ Encephalopathy
▶ Facial Paralysis (Bell’s Palsy)
▶ Skin Rash Sometimes only one symptom will be present, or a child may experience multiple symptoms.

According to an unpublished CDC study, 79% of children with [complex] Lyme disease experience a decrease in their number of friends, 41% have suicidal thoughts, and 11% made a suicide gesture.

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