CHENNAI: What would have easily gone unrecognised and turned fatal for this young child was averted solely because of his bravery and ability to think on his feet. Darshith, a seven-year-old boy from Poosivakkam village in Kancheepuram, was out fishing in a pond along with his friend on July 16 when a venomous snake bit him.
Rather than resorting to panic, Darshith acted quickly and killed the snake with a stick. He later carried the snake home and, with his parents, reached the hospital, helping the doctors identify the snake and select the anti-venom to treat him.
The snake was identified as a Russell’s viper, one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. According to a WHO report, this particular variety, along with kraits and cobras, accounts for the most snake bite deaths in India.
“He killed the snake with a stick, and showed it to my father-in-law who was grazing a cow nearby. But he directed the boy to show it to me and my wife, after which we rushed him to the Kancheepuram Government Hospital. There they kept him under observation for two days, and as his leg started swelling and more complications developed, they referred him to the Institute of Child’s Health, Egmore (ICH),” said R Ramu, Darshith’s father.
People bitten by a Russell’s viper usually develop symptoms like neurotoxicity, bleeding and renal failure in three to four hours, but Darshith’s was an unusual case. He developed complications only after 48 hours. Considering his young age, the Kancheepuram GH referred him to the ICH for tertiary care, said Dr S Seenivasan, paediatric intensivist at the ICH.
Fighting back a snake & its bite at 7
“Darshith ’s blood pressure was low and pulse was weak when he was brought here. The boy later became unconscious.” “Then, we gave him an anti-venom dose. After 24 hours, Darshith got better and regained consciousness. He was discharged on Saturday,” said Seenivasan.
He added, “The doctors would have missed the symptoms had they not seen the snake. The boy would have been sent home after a few hours of observation. Later, when his leg swelled, his parents might have thought of it as an insect bite and would have tried home remedies. But the boy’s bravery saved his life.” The ICH treats around 20-25 cases of snake bites every year. Most snake bite deaths are caused by delayed treatment. Treatment at the right time will save lives, the doctor added.