10-month-old baby bitten by cobra

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10-month-old baby bitten by cobra

Postby Sico » Mon Dec 22, 2014 4:21 pm

Johannesburg - A 10-month-old baby is in hospital after being bitten by a Mozambican spitting cobra, Beeld reported on Monday.

The baby, a foster child living with a couple in Rustenburg in the North West, was bitten in his cot on Wednesday, the Afrikaans daily reported.

Social worker Berdine Venter said it was suspected that the snake had fallen from the thatched roof onto the cot.

His foster mother heard him scream at 20:30 and he was rushed to hospital. A Mozambican spitting cobra was found on the carpet of the baby room.

Venter said the boy was still in hospital but that he was breathing on his own.

He was removed from his biological parents when he was 4-months-old and placed in the care of the Rustenburg couple.
- SAPA 2014-12-22 08:06
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Re: 10-month-old baby bitten by cobra

Postby Ruan Stander » Mon Dec 22, 2014 9:03 pm

Oi, that is horrible, hope the child survives and doesn't sustain permanent or serious damage.
Have any more ideas surfaced about all these M'fezis biting people in bed ?
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Re: 10-month-old baby bitten by cobra

Postby Bushviper » Tue Dec 23, 2014 12:38 pm

This child will survive despite what the doctors did. Firstly they took 11 hours before using antivenom despite the father going to fetch the mozambique spitter to show them. Then they gave him two vials instead of eight. They then gave him another two vials a day later "for the swelling". He has a medical aid so he was sent for a brain scan however at this stage he did not even have a drip in.

Luckily the necrosis is limited to the bite site and the swelling of the head (especially the eyelids) and neck is slightly reduced after 5 days. He is also drinking and eating without throwing up. At this stage wound care will be the biggest challenge for the kid.

A word of advice. If a snake bites you do not go to any hospitals in Rustenburg and rather drive to Pretoria or Johannesburg where we have decent trained doctors who will ask and follow advice if they dont know enough. Contact me for the names of these hospitals at the time as training is ongoing.
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Re: 10-month-old baby bitten by cobra

Postby moe » Tue Dec 23, 2014 7:00 pm

I am so glad that we have bushviper down here in gauteng...

I think without his help alot of bite victims would end up medically critcal because docters choose to do there own thing

I do pray this kid gets a full recovery quickly
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Re: 10-month-old baby bitten by cobra

Postby moe » Tue Dec 23, 2014 7:02 pm

Oops i think that came out wrong

What i meant to say is im so glad we have him close by
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