In the 1990s, when Lyme disease was less understood than it is now, Sheila Statlender wanted to know why her three young children were ill.

“I’m happy to report my kids are much better today. It sort of feels like a miracle,” Statlender, a clinical psychologist, said Tuesday during a panel discussion on Lyme disease awareness in St. Anthony's Church. Though more is known about Lyme disease, panelists said the medical community remains divided on diagnosing and treating the tick-borne illness.

The Greater New Bedford Allies for Health and Wellness organized the community forum as part of a yearlong celebration for the group’s 20^th anniversary. The Allies are a coalition of individuals and organizations that promote community wellness.

Dr. Barbara Acksen, chair of the wellness association, said organizers put together the panel to discuss the “most controversial and fastest growing epidemic of our time.”

A family practice physician, landscape designer, medical entomologist, and awareness advocate/caregiver spoke individually before answering audience questions. Each provided information on how to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cope with the disease.

Statlender, who has a practice in Newton, treats patients suffering from psychiatric symptoms associated with chronic illness. When her children became sick in quick succession, she searched for answers, but discovered medical professionals were reluctant to address Lyme disease.

“We eventually found doctors who would treat my children based on presentation, which is a tough arena for doctors to be in because medical boards don’t always approve of some Lyme treatments,” she said.

“Presentation” is how the disease affects patients. People may have a fever, joint pain, confusion, sleep disturbances, personality changes, or a multitude of other ailments.

In Massachusetts, Statlender worked to pass legislation protecting doctors who treat Lyme disease patients. The law, enacted in 2010, affords doctors the right to utilize their best clinical judgment to treat the disease. Previously, Lyme treatment was administered when patients tested positive.

According to Dr. Jeanne Hubbuch, traditional tests are “notoriously poor” at detection. She said the Western blot, the most widespread test, is accurate 70 percent of the time. That number is most likely lower, she said.

Widely known as a telltale sign of the disease, the bulls-eye rash appears on about 50 percent of infected people, Hubbuch said.

On tick removal, she advised using tweezers. Smothering a tick in Vaseline or detergent increases the risk of infection, she said. Hubbuch has 35 years of medical experience as a physician. She specializes in treating patients with complex disorders such as autism, fibromyalgia, and Lyme.

Wayne Andrews, a medical entomologist, said tick bites have made him ill many times during his career. He researches ticks, mosquitoes and other insects harboring infectious diseases.

Andrews noted the Laboratory of Medical Zoology tests ticks for different bacteria, including the strain that is known to cause Lyme disease. Instead of destroying a tick found attached to your body, mail it to the academic research facility, he said. Located at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the laboratory will send back the results for a fee. For instructions, visit www.tickdiseases.org.

For more information on Lyme disease prevention, awareness, and treatment, visit www.ilads.org.