Summer Safety: Protecting Your Kids from Snakebites in Texas
With summer settling in, Texans should be aware that snakes are becoming more active, increasing the risk of snakebites. Snakebites are most common between April and October, with snakes typically most active in the morning and at dusk.
Sophia Price, with Cook Children's Trauma and Injury Prevention says Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth reported its first snakebites of the season in late April and early May, including its first copperhead bite in May. In 2024, the Cook Children's Health Care System treated 30 snakebites, with the first reported in March.
Jay Pearson, P.A., a physician assistant with Cook Children’s Trauma Services, offers crucial advice for parents on keeping children safe from snakebites. Price recommends avoiding walking in tall grass and wearing protective boots. She also warns that at night, snakes may rest on warm surfaces like driveways or sidewalks. Price emphasizes that individuals should never attempt to touch or handle a snake, even if it appears dead.
North Texas is home to three species of pit vipers:
- Copperheads
- Cottonmouths (also known as water moccasins)
- Rattlesnakes
A snakebite can cause localized pain and swelling that may spread as venom progresses. Other symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, and an increased heart rate. In severe cases, patients may experience difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, or bleeding disorders.
If a snake bites a child, seek immediate medical attention at the closest emergency department.
What to do if bitten by a snake:
- Do not try to capture, photograph, or kill the snake.
- Do not apply ice, tourniquets, or attempt to suck out venom.
- Immobilize the affected limb and keep it at heart level if possible.
How snakebites are treated at Cook Children's:
Once at the hospital, patients with moderate to severe envenomation may receive antivenom, which is readily available at Cook Children’s Medical Center.
Patients are closely monitored for symptom progression and may require hospital admission for observation and supportive care.
