Rescuing an 11-year-old boy who stopped breathing after a snake bite.

An 11-year-old boy was hospitalized in respiratory arrest after being bitten by a snake. Doctors had to intubate him, put him on a ventilator, and administer antivenom to save him.

On May 21st, Mr. Truong Minh Kien, Director of Ca Mau Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, stated that the hospital's doctors had successfully saved a child bitten by a snake who was admitted in a state of respiratory arrest.

The patient is NGH (11 years old, residing in Xom Ray hamlet, Quach Pham commune, Ca Mau province). Around 4 PM on May 18th, while playing behind her house, H. was suddenly bitten by a snake. Afterwards, the bite wound swelled and she complained of pain.

Patient H.'s leg was bitten by a snake.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY CA MAU MATERNITY AND PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL

Instead of taking the child to a medical facility, the family took her to a private clinic for treatment. However, her condition did not improve, so H. was later transferred to Cai Nuoc Regional General Hospital.

Here, the child exhibited severe symptoms such as increased mucus secretion, drooping eyelids, progressively worsening respiratory failure, and then complete respiratory arrest. Doctors urgently inserted an endotracheal tube and immediately transferred the child to Ca Mau Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital at 1:00 AM on May 19th.

"Paralysis and wheezing are very serious symptoms, so the hospital put her on a ventilator and administered antivenom and anti-snake venom. Fortunately, after two days of intensive treatment, H. is now conscious, responsive, breathing on her own, eating well, and the swelling from the bite has decreased," the leader of Ca Mau Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital informed.

Absolutely do not attempt to apply plant leaves, cut or incise the bite wound, or suck out the venom on your own.

Dr. Huynh Thuy Hang, Head of the Pediatric Emergency Department at Ca Mau Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, advises parents to pay special attention when children play in gardens, fields, and bushes; and to teach children to recognize danger and immediately report to an adult if bitten by a snake or showing any unusual symptoms.

Doctor Hang also cautioned people against self-treating with folk remedies such as applying leaves, cutting or incising the bite wound, or sucking out the venom, as this can easily lead to wound infection and waste valuable time for emergency treatment.

If you suspect a child has been bitten by a venomous snake, family members should remain calm and provide proper first aid by immobilizing the bitten area, limiting movement to prevent the venom from spreading, keeping the bitten area lower than the heart, avoiding applying a tourniquet too tightly, refraining from incising the wound, and quickly taking the patient to the nearest medical facility for prompt treatment.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cuu-be-trai-11-tuoi-ngung-tho-do-ran-can-185260521164334974.htm