Grieving family: Watch for tick-borne illnesses

NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa — The family of a three-year-old central Pennsylvania girl who recently succumbed to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever hopes to raise awareness of the early symptoms, saying a delayed diagnosis can prove devastating.

Lillian Rose Bennett of York County died Aug. 16, a day after she turned 3.

Her custodial father, Ron Hoffman, said she must have come in contact with the disease locally because the family hadn't recently traveled.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is carried by dog ticks. It's rare in Pennsylvania. The main symptoms include fever, headache, abdominal pain, muscle pain, fatigue and vomiting. It's critical to begin treating it with antibiotics within the first four days.

Pennlive says the family has established a foundation in the child's name to raise awareness of the disease.

For more information about tick-borne illnesses, see letter to the editor by Milford resident Robert Ollar, Ph.D, member of Pennsylvania's Tick and Lyme Disease Task Force, on page 12.