In Thursday’s paper, we wrote a story on 5-year-old Mason McNair, who recently overcame a bout with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

McNair discovered a tick on his body on May 10 and was treated, but he wasn’t feeling better 11 days after and had broken out in a full body rash. His mother, Danielle McNair, continued to push for answers and eventually found information on RMSF. She asked doctors to run tests, and they came back positive for RMSF, which can be a fatal disease.

The story has been shared hundreds of times from our Facebook page, as people try to show friends and family what a tick bite could mean. Tick bites can also mean Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, Tularemia and many other diseases.

At the same time, nobody wants to be stuck inside during the summer, just because of the threat of a tick bite or mosquitoes. Thankfully, there are easy ways to avoid getting those bites.

So, how do you avoid it?

Experts recommend wearing a bug spray that will repel ticks. They say to be wary around bushes and shrubs, where ticks may be present.

Wearing clothing that covers your arms and legs helps, as does tucking your pants into your socks. After a day outdoors, check yourself or have a family member help look you over for ticks.

Also, make sure to check pets.

We’re glad that McNair has recovered and is feeling much better.

His story may help someone else avoid a similar fate, or worse.