Mum's horror after toddler son went 'flat and really floppy' after a bite from a common garden pest

A mother has issued a desperate warning to all parents after her 17-month-old appeared 'flat and really floppy' after playing in their backyard.

Carmelle Leahey's son Isaac was bitten by a tick and could barely walk at their home on Sydney's northern beaches.

She had no idea what was causing his horror condition and rushed him to hospital. 

'He couldn't walk to me anymore,' she told 7NEWS. 'He was just flat, really floppy.'

'It was such an ordeal. It was really scary.'

Doctors were able to save young Isaac's life but warned he was very fortunate to survive.

Tick bites can be deadly if untreated and they can cause severe allergic reactions. 

Those who suffer allergic reactions may find it difficult to breathe and can even collapse. 

Common symptoms of tick bites include slurred speech, tiredness, and a loss of balance. 

Paralysis ticks are the most common forms of the pests in Australia and most of the insects are often found in dense bushland across coastal parts of the country. 

Ms Leahey urged parents to be mindful of ticks and make sure they keep their children safe from the pests. 

'Check your children, check behind their ears, check in between their fingers and toes,' she said.