Snake bite

In general

Most snakes in the United States are not poisonous. However, there are four types of poisonous snakes: rattle-snakes (rattlers), coral snakes, water moccasins (cottonmouths), and copperheads.

A rattle-snake is recognized by the rattling sound it makes when it shakes the rings located at the end of its tail.

Coral snakes have red, yellow and black ring markings right along their bodies and copperheads have light and dark brown markings.

Water moccasins have a white, cottony lining in their mouth. If a child is bitten by a snake, the child may either have a non-specific mark on his/her skin without the skin being broken, or a characteristic bite wound in his/her skin.

The bite wound consists of 1 or 2 puncture (fang) marks with a gap of a few millimeters.

The seriousness of the snake bite depends on how much venom has been injected, as well as the weight and age of the child.

In about 30% of cases when a child has been bitten by a poisonous snake, no venom has been injected. If venom has been injected, the bite wound will be painful for 5 minutes and it will swell within 30 minutes.

In a few rare cases, the child may develop a life-threatening reaction to the poison or an allergic reaction to the snake bite.

Anyone bitten by a poisonous snake should seek emergency medical attention immediately for evaluation and possible treatment with anti-venom.

Home treatment

1. You must always contact your doctor immediately if your child is bitten by a snake. 
2. Take the child out of the area where he/she was bitten because of the danger of more bites. The snake will never move very far from where it is discovered. It will hide nearby. 
3. Being bitten by a snake is often a frightening experience. Try to remain calm, so that you don't make your child more anxious. 
4. Try to keep the child as still as possible because activity will cause any toxin from the snake bite to spread more rapidly. 
5. If the bite is on the hand, foot, arm or leg, lower the extremity so that it is below the level of the child's heart. This will decrease the spread of the toxin from the bite. 
6. Clean the bite wound with soap and water. 
7. Try to keep the wound cool with cool compresses or ice wrapped in a towel; do not use ice directly on the skin, because this could damage the skin. 
8. Do not use a tourniquet above the bite because this could stop the flow of blood to the part of the body that has been bitten. 
9. Do not try to suck the poison out by mouth. Don't cut or squeeze the bite. 
10. If possible, try to identify the snake for medical personnel.

If trying to capture or kill the snake, use extreme caution to avoid additional bites. As a rule, a child who has been bitten by a poisonous snake will be admitted to the hospital.

If the child develops serious symptoms, anti-venom will be given, ideally within 4 hours of the bite. The child may also be given a tetanus vaccination if the skin has been broken because in rare cases snakes can transmit tetanus.

When to seek medical advice

See the doctor immediately or call 911 if:

• Your child has been bitten by a poisonous snake. Emergency evaluation is necessary and treatment with anti-venom may be appropriate.