Five-year-old Daniel was picking up leaves with his uncle when he accidentally lifted a copperhead snake on June 1, the little boy's aunt said.
A young Texas boy survived being bit by a copperhead snake after accidentally picking up the venomous pit viper on what should have been a fun day out with his family earlier this month.
Five-year-old Daniel was picking up leaves with his uncle when he accidentally lifted a copperhead snake on June 1, the little boy's aunt, Brandy Smith, told McClatchy News.
The snake then bit Daniel, injecting venom into his hand. According to the outlet, his uncle used a pair of gardening shears to remove the snake and then rushed the boy to an emergency room in Houston.
“I was running errands and they called me to meet them,” Smith said to the outlet, adding that she stopped what she was doing and rushed to the hospital.
When the little boy arrived at the hospital, he was greeted by a toxicologist, who treated Daniel with antivenom, the aunt wrote on Facebook.
"We got to the ER extremely quick and we’re blessed to find out Dr. Spencer Greene was on-site to treat him. Dr. G is one of the top toxicologist in the country," she wrote.
"Please keep my little guy in your prayers as he continues to heal," she wrote. “I’ve truly never been so scared in my life."
According to the post, Daniel recovered quickly. “His range of motion and labs are good so we get to go home later today,” Smith wrote.
Experts say that copperhead venom can be deadly, but the vast majority of people recover with medical treatment.
Smith wrote in her post what Greene, an expert, said to do in the event of a snake bite.
- Do not put ice on a snake bite; it actually does more damage to the tissue.
- Elevate it to at least 60 degrees right away. You want the venom to dissipate as quickly as possible. It’s an old wives tale that you need to keep it away from the heart.
- Do not try to cut or drain the affected area.
- Be mindful that snakes can still bite for eight hours after they are dead.
- Snakes fangs can turn all around to any angle.
“I am so thankful (for the doctors and nurses) and all the prayers we’ve received,” Smith wrote in her post.
