What type of first aid to have for living with kids in Costa Rica?

[gr8fulmom]

Hi there... we are living half the year in the southwest of Costa Tica (on the Pacific Ocean) where there are several venomous snakes including fer de lance. I have three young boys who tend to go intoplace which most adults do not and I am concerned to have the right information and items on hand in teh worst case scenario on a snake bite. Some friends had recommended the extractor but in researching it I stumbled upon these forums and am now thinking it is not the best first aid for snake bites. So, what would you experts suggest? We have educated our kids about snake saftely (avoiding high risk areas like piles of wet leaves, and never touching a snake even when they 'think' its dead etc.). But I would like to know the proper first aid procedure for snake bites, and also to know what if any items I could keep on hand to help in an emergency (we are around a 1 hour drive to a hospital that has anti-venom). Also, is there any other general advice you guys might have...

Thanks!!!

Jen

[Lankyrob]

Firstly i would like to say well done for pre-empting things and getting information up front - and welcome to the forum.

I would imagine someone on here would be able to give you good advice about preventative measures as well as what to keep in your first aid kit.

[marvelfreak]

How are snake bites treated?
Call for emergency assistance immediately if someone has been bitten by a snake. Responding quickly in this type of emergency is crucial. While waiting for emergency assistance:

• Wash the bite with soap and water.
• Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.
• Cover the area with a clean, cool compress or a moist dressing to minimize swelling and discomfort.
• Monitor vital signs.

If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, the American Red Cross recommends:

• Apply a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, to help slow the venom. This should not cut off the flow of blood from a vein or artery - the band should be loose enough to slip a finger under it.
• A suction device can be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. These devices are often included in commercial snake bite kits.

Most often, physicians use antivenin -- an antidote to snake venom -- to treat serious snake bites. Antivenin is derived from antibodies created in a horse's blood serum when the animal is injected with snake venom. Because antivenin is obtained from horses, snake bite victims sensitive to horse products must be carefully managed.

[marvelfreak]

Here's How:

1. Safety first! Get away from the snake. That's probably why it bit in the first place. Follow universal precautions and wear personal protective equipment if you have it.
2. Call 911 immediately! Waiting until the pain may lead to permanent tissue damage. Remember that calling 911 on a cell phone is different than a regular phone.
3. Do not elevate. Keep the bite below the level of the heart.
4. Wash the area with warm water and soap.
5. Remove constricting clothing and jewelry from the extremity. The area may swell and constricting items will cause tissue death.
6. If the snake is an elapid species (coral snakes and cobras), wrap the extremity with an elastic pressure bandage. Start from the point closest to the heart and wrap towards the fingers or toes. Continue to keep the bite lower than the heart.
7. Follow the basics of first aid while waiting for responders to arrive. Be especially concerned about the potential for shock.

Tips:

1. NO CUTTING & SUCKING! Those snake bite kits from the drug store don't work. Cutting into the wound will just create infections.
2. An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of first aid:
   • Wear long pants and boots taller than the ankle.
   • Avoid tall brush and deep, dark crevices.
   • Make plenty of noise and vibration while walking.
   • Do not approach snakes, avoid them.
   • Do not expect rattlesnakes to make any noises.
3. If the snake is dead, bringing it to the hospital is appropriate. Be careful, dead snakes can reflexively bite for up to an hour.
4. In today's digital world, pictures are easy to get. A quick picture of the snake - even with a cell phone - will help medical crews identify the animal. Rattlesnakes are pit vipers, identified by dents in the side of their heads that look like ears. Coral snakes are small with bands of red bordered by pale yellow or white. Cobras have hoods that spread behind their heads.
5. It's not that important to identify the snake; medical crews in areas prone to snake bites can often identify the animal just from the wound. Pit vipers have two fangs and the bite often has two small holes (see illustration). Coral snakes have small mouths full of teeth with rows of small puncture wounds.

Here's a site with 13 different videos on venoums snake bites. I hope all of this helps. How to Survive a Venomous Snake Bite: Video Series | eHow Videos

[percey39]

I would not use the extractor at all. Also do not wash the bite area, the hospital will need to take a sample if you cannot identify the snake.
Basic first aid is needed. As in pressure bandage and splints depending on where the bite is. You want to restrict movement of limb if possible.
Being that you are only one hour away from the hospital, this would be enough as long as you go straight there you will have plenty of time. I would recommend a first aid course though. A basic first aid kit has all you will need for snake bites.

[gr8fulmom]

Thank you for the advice! I am going to copy and paste the important pieces of the text into a word doc and then print it to have copies in our house and car etc.

I have back country first aid certificate already and know regular first aid.

There is virtually no chance of waiting for an ambulance because they could take a very long time and may not make it up to where we are anyways because many roads are 4x4 access only... is it worth having our own anti-venom? I think there are two main types of venomous snakes in our area the fer de lance and some coral snakes and maybe one other kind of viper... how would I know which anti-venoms to have... I don't know if they require special storage and/or special administration techniques? I can just imagine grilling my kids on the type of snake that bit them (knock on wood I never need to) while we are all in a panic eek! My eldest was stung by a scorpian last winter and was sure he was dying (luckily there are no deadly scorpians in CR) so I know what victim panic can look like!

again thank you for taking the time to respond! your advice is very much appreciated!

[percey39]

Will you have acces to a 4x4 of your own, its nearly never worth the wait if you can get there by your own means.
With anti-venom its fairly expensive being that more often than not people need up to and over ten vials. Also it has fairly short life of about 3-6 months and unless the supplier is very trustworthy you would not know how long they have had it. Also some people are allergic to the anti-venoms which can be fatal in as little as 3 minutes. This is where it seems of little use when there are so many chances to fail with the home use of anti-venom.
I would personally just drive straight to the hospital after andministering the pressure bandage and the the splint.

[gr8fulmom]

Originally Posted by percey39

Will you have acces to a 4x4 of your own, its nearly never worth the wait if you can get there by your own means.
With anti-venom its fairly expensive being that more often than not people need up to and over ten vials. Also it has fairly short life of about 3-6 months and unless the supplier is very trustworthy you would not know how long they have had it. Also some people are allergic to the anti-venoms which can be fatal in as little as 3 minutes. This is where it seems of little use when there are so many chances to fail with the home use of anti-venom.
I would personally just drive straight to the hospital after andministering the pressure bandage and the the splint.

Thanks...that is very good info!! I think I will drop the anti-venom idea... yes we do have a 4x4... so the key point is pressure bandage and splint and get to help fast!!! right?! (hoping I never need to use this info )

[percey39]

I understand most people never want to be put in that situation.
Remember DO NOT wash the bite site unless you are 100% sure about the exact species of the snake. Then apply a pressure bandage and splint. Keep the person from moving and try to help them not panic, as that increases blood pressure which in turn circulates venom. If possible keep the affected part of the body below the bodies core height.
These are the key steps, which will need to be followed. As stated before being only an hour away from a hospital with anti-venom, there is ample time for the hospital to administer the anti-venom well and truely before major problems would arise from the venom.

Hopefully you will never need this infomation anyway. As long as your children understand not to go near snakes or chase them you should be fine. A bite from a snake is nearly always their last resort, most will if flee given the chance.