With the rising incidence of tick-borne illnesses, it’s becoming important to get smart about protection from tick bites.

That said, several misconceptions still exist about deer ticks, the creepy crawlers responsible for transmitting an estimated 300,000 cases of Lyme disease annually, in addition to other serious diseases such as anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis. and Powassan virus.

This time of year, parents and kids both look forward to heading outside to (finally) enjoy the sun, balmy breezes and greenery of the season.

We all want our kids to have the freedom to run, swim and play in the great outdoors without worry. That’s why it’s our job as parents to actively protect them from common injuries and environmental hazards that occur this time of year.

By now, most Americans are aware of the health threat posed by tiny ticks that live and breed in our outdoor environments.

The bad news: Reports show that threat is growing as the tick population expands geographically. Last fall a congressional advisory committee called Lyme disease and other emerging tick-related illnesses "a serious and growing threat to public health,” pointing to at least 20 known medical conditions that can result from tick bites.