Bitten by a baby copperhead (kind of long sorry)

MysticalMom

Witchy Woman
Long story as short as possible (HA!).... My 12 year old was at a friend's house in St. Mary's City on Sunday and was bitten by a baby copperhead on the side of her left index finger. So young it still has the green tip on it's tail. (I know because she has the dead snake in a sealed bag and wants to keep it. *ick*) It was hidden in some leaves in the garden where she'd run to pet their cat. She placed the hand that wasn't petting the cat on the ground and BAM. It bit her. Real good.

We've been in Georgetown's PICU ever since being transferred there from St. Mary's Sunday and they released her TODAY. She had 5 IV bags of Crofab Antivenin on Sunday. The finger is UGLY. There's a big black ugly boil like blister at the bite site (they poked a hole in this with a small needle and drained it but it filled back up and they left it) The hand is swollen huge (the swelling went down some but very little) and there's mild swelling all the way up the entire arm to the arm pit. It was very painful and they had her on morphine until they suddenly stepped her down to codeine this morning... (which is working ok and I'm way more comfortable with than the morphine.) The finger is wrapped and the hand is immobilized on an arm board thing.

I wasn't sure they should release her today. But they insisted it was ok. And they didn't just release her, they told her she can go to school tomorrow and even to her field trip to the zoo at the end of the week. :yikes: They assured me that she was going to be fine. They want her to move the finger a lot. Keep it elevated when she sleeps and rests. They say the swelling will go down slowly. And just to watch that it doesn't get worse. She's been a freakin' SUPERSTAR through this whole ordeal. (some of you know her and know nothing gets this child down) She never shut up, never got sick and was the star of the PICU. Even through the pain she was awesome. And she WANTS to go to school etc. Tells me to listen to the doctors because they're the doctors. I don't know anything about venomous snake bites, and maybe this short hospital stay is normal, if it is tell me, but I think it's still really bad and swollen and ugly and has GOT to be painful. The fact that there's swelling to the arm pit freaks me out a little too. She says she feels fine except for a little pain and she can handle it.

I'm following up with our family doctor before we do ANYTHING else. Just to make ME feel better. And I guess I'll get an answer at that appointment, but it's driving me nuts NOW.... So my question for y'all is this: Would you take their word for it and let her go to school etc.? Has anyone here ever had a child that's been bitten by a copperhead, or have you been bitten yourself? Is it really ok that she's not in the hospital still? And Geezus.. should I let her go to the zoo if she wants to? Remember... she was only bitten Sunday.:jameo:

I attached a pic or 2 of the bite. It doesn't do the hand justice...you really cant see the amount of swelling. And the snake too.. looks bigger in the pic but remember its in a ziplock bag.
 

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glitch

Devil's Advocate
Our dog got bit a few years ago. We took him to the vet. Basically, if the person/animal being bitten is over 90lbs., there's very little chance of long-term problems resulting from the bite. That being said, I'm sure it hurts like hell. But if the kid says she's up to going to school, let her go.
 

MYJRT123

New Member
Thanks for posting so that the rest of us know exactly what happens and making us aware that they are out already. I hope your little girl gets well soon!
 

ICit

Jam out with ur clam out
Long story as short as possible (HA!).... My 12 year old was at a friend's house in St. Mary's City on Sunday and was bitten by a baby copperhead on the side of her left index finger. So young it still has the green tip on it's tail. (I know because she has the dead snake in a sealed bag and wants to keep it. *ick*) It was hidden in some leaves in the garden where she'd run to pet their cat. She placed the hand that wasn't petting the cat on the ground and BAM. It bit her. Real good.

We've been in Georgetown's PICU ever since being transferred there from St. Mary's Sunday and they released her TODAY. She had 5 IV bags of Crofab Antivenin on Sunday. The finger is UGLY. There's a big black ugly boil like blister at the bite site (they poked a hole in this with a small needle and drained it but it filled back up and they left it) The hand is swollen huge (the swelling went down some but very little) and there's mild swelling all the way up the entire arm to the arm pit. It was very painful and they had her on morphine until they suddenly stepped her down to codeine this morning... (which is working ok and I'm way more comfortable with than the morphine.) The finger is wrapped and the hand is immobilized on an arm board thing.

I wasn't sure they should release her today. But they insisted it was ok. And they didn't just release her, they told her she can go to school tomorrow and even to her field trip to the zoo at the end of the week. :yikes: They assured me that she was going to be fine. They want her to move the finger a lot. Keep it elevated when she sleeps and rests. They say the swelling will go down slowly. And just to watch that it doesn't get worse. She's been a freakin' SUPERSTAR through this whole ordeal. (some of you know her and know nothing gets this child down) She never shut up, never got sick and was the star of the PICU. Even through the pain she was awesome. And she WANTS to go to school etc. Tells me to listen to the doctors because they're the doctors. I don't know anything about venomous snake bites, and maybe this short hospital stay is normal, if it is tell me, but I think it's still really bad and swollen and ugly and has GOT to be painful. The fact that there's swelling to the arm pit freaks me out a little too. She says she feels fine except for a little pain and she can handle it.

I'm following up with our family doctor before we do ANYTHING else. Just to make ME feel better. And I guess I'll get an answer at that appointment, but it's driving me nuts NOW.... So my question for y'all is this: Would you take their word for it and let her go to school etc.? Has anyone here ever had a child that's been bitten by a copperhead, or have you been bitten yourself? Is it really ok that she's not in the hospital still? And Geezus.. should I let her go to the zoo if she wants to? Remember... she was only bitten Sunday.:jameo:

I attached a pic or 2 of the bite. It doesn't do the hand justice...you really cant see the amount of swelling. And the snake too.. looks bigger in the pic but remember its in a ziplock bag.

GOD BLESS HER!

Good luck and keep us posted on her recovery! :huggy:
 

vince77

Active Member
she's a trooper, God I hate snakes, I spend all summer constantly keeping my eyes open for them.....not sure what keeping her home from school would help aside from making you feel better....
 

Dye Tied

Garden Variety Gnome
:huggy: I've been following your story online and it must feel great to be home. Her hand will look ugly for a while. *shiver* I get the willies thinking about it.
 

belvak

Happy Camper
:yikes: She really sounds like a little trooper!! I say listen to the docs. Also, she knows how she feels better than anyone else. Go ahead and follow up with your family doc, but if she's feeling good and wants to go to the zoo, I would let her if I were you.
 

bresamil

wandering aimlessly
:faint:

I guess you'll have to go with how she feels. Sounds like she has a high tolerance for pain....sometimes thats not a good thing though. I'd say use your mommy instincts for this.
 

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
The doctors have 8 - 10 years of intense medical school/training. Don't ask what a bunch of opinionated forum members think. Do what the doctors say! :lmao:
 
The doctors have 8 - 10 years of intense medical school/training. Don't ask what a bunch of opinionated forum members think. Do what the doctors say! :lmao:

Good thing we can't be sued for malpractice...can we? :lol:

Hope she has a complete and speedy recovery.
 

bulldog

New Member
The doctors have 8 - 10 years of intense medical school/training. Don't ask what a bunch of opinionated forum members think. Do what the doctors say! :lmao:

X2! Exactly what I was thinking and going to post. You have a staff of professional doctors telling you that your kid is going to be fine and to let her live her life, but you come on here to second guess them? Seeing your family doctor is 100% fine if it will make YOU feel better, but to ask this group? :killingme
 

HeavyChevy75

Podunk FL
Poor girl..

I have heard that the baby's are a lot more venous than the adults.

I dislike copperheads..but am ok with the black snakes.
 

lisa8439

New Member
OH Lord... poor thing! And you are right, she is a SUPERSTAR - I would be crying like a baby... that looks horribly painful! My goodness, what an ordeal this must have been for you too... as a parent I would be scared sh!tless, and I can see why you would want to keep a close eye on her and keep her home. That said, if she is old enough (and she clearly is) to be a good judge of how she is doing and promises to let her teachers and you know the second she has a problem, I'd let her go.

:hugs: to you both!! And ditto the poster who said thank you for letting us all know how/where/when it happened so we can keep an eye out for our own little ones and pets (and ourselves!).
 

PrepH4U

New Member
OH Lord... poor thing! And you are right, she is a SUPERSTAR - I would be crying like a baby... that looks horribly painful! My goodness, what an ordeal this must have been for you too... as a parent I would be scared sh!tless, and I can see why you would want to keep a close eye on her and keep her home. That said, if she is old enough (and she clearly is) to be a good judge of how she is doing and promises to let her teachers and you know the second she has a problem, I'd let her go.

:hugs: to you both!! And ditto the poster who said thank you for letting us all know how/where/when it happened so we can keep an eye out for our own little ones and pets (and ourselves!).

:yeahthat: Wow! Wishing a speedy recovery! :huggy:
 

happyappygirl

Rocky Mountain High!!
They smell like cucumbers when you crush their stupid little skulls with your boot heel. Very rewarding, i must say.
 
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