Table of Contents
How do you tell if your child has been bitten by a spider?
Signs and Symptoms
- swelling or redness around the bite.
- pain around the bite within 2 to 8 hours.
- joint stiffness or pain.
- nausea, vomiting.
- body rash.
- fever, chills, and body aches.
- tiredness.
What does a spider bite looks like?
Typically, a spider bite looks like any other bug bite — a red, inflamed, sometimes itchy or painful bump on your skin — and may even go unnoticed. Harmless spider bites usually don’t produce any other symptoms. Many skin sores look the same but have other causes, such as a bacterial infection.
When should I be concerned about a spider bite on my child?
When to worry about a spider bite If your child develops symptoms of infection, like redness, swelling, pus or a warm feeling around the bite, call your doctor or 911 or head to the emergency room. You can also call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 if you have any questions, including non-urgent ones.
How do you treat a spider bite on a child?
Treatments for Spider Bites in Children
- Remain calm and reassure your child that you can help.
- Wash the area well with soap and water.
- Apply a cold or ice pack wrapped in a cloth, or a cold, wet washcloth to the site.
- To protect against infection, particularly in children, apply an antibiotic lotion or cream.
Should I take my child to the doctor for a spider bite?
Call Your Doctor If: Severe bite pain lasts more than 2 hours after pain medicine. Stomach pains or muscle cramps occur. Bite pain lasts more than 2 days (48 hours) Bite starts to look infected.
Treating spider bites in children Keep it clean. Wash the area carefully with soap and water several times a day until the bite heals. Head off infection. Apply an antibiotic ointment and keep your child’s hands as clean as possible. Ease any pain.
How painful is a spider bite?
Spider bites can cause redness, pain and swelling, or you may not notice them at all. Black widow spider bites can also cause severe abdominal pain or cramping. Brown recluse spider bites can cause a sting or sharp pain, like a bee sting. With severe bites, surrounding skin may die within a few hours.
What do you need to know about spider bites?
Black widow spider bite symptoms can be used to diagnose these bites and include: “Fang” marks (tiny twin holes): telltale signs that are only visible right after the bite happens, before any swelling or redness occurs. Sweating. Chills. Headache. Dizziness. Muscular cramps (legs, stomach, etc.) Rapid pulse.
Can you die from spider bites?
Antivenin against spider bites has become very effective, and it is rare that people actually die from a spider bite. In the United States, an average of 6.6 people die from venomous spider bites each year1. Eight times as many dies from bee and wasp stings.