A 5-year-old Massachusetts girl is recovering after being
bitten by a black widow spider – leaving her with a bruise that turned a
nasty shade, according to a report.
Mom Kristine Donovan said she noticed “a purple, little tiny bruise” appear on the back of Kailyn’s leg last week and became worried when it grew into a large red line.
“She never even said anything had bit her,” Donovan told the Boston Globe, adding that she assumed the spunky child had been bitten in their Mendon back yard where she often plays for hours.
“We hadn’t gone anywhere, so it had to have probably been in our backyard,” she said.
Dr. William Durbin, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at UMass Memorial Medical Center who treated Kailyn, said he typically treats a couple of bites a year from black widows, which are rare in Massachusetts.
About 2,000 people are bitten by black widows in the US annually, though few bites are fatal.
Deaths from these bites usually occur among young children, the elderly and the extremely ill. Luckily, Kailyn’s bite was treated on time and is healing.
Durbin said the dark purple and black colors on the girl’s wound were a result of necrosis, or cell death.
“She had a very distinctive bite, which was very scary for her parents and, of course, the doctors too,” he said.
Now that the black widow scare is being handled by doctors, Donovan said her daughter is ready to spend the summer outside before starting kindergarten in the fall.
“She’s been really good about it,” Donovan said. “Obviously, she wants to go out and play, and we’re trying to keep her in the house for a bit.”
Just to be the safe, Donovan said she planned to spray around and inside her house, hoping to kill any remaining venomous creepy crawlies.
CREDIT: NYPOST
Mom Kristine Donovan said she noticed “a purple, little tiny bruise” appear on the back of Kailyn’s leg last week and became worried when it grew into a large red line.
“She never even said anything had bit her,” Donovan told the Boston Globe, adding that she assumed the spunky child had been bitten in their Mendon back yard where she often plays for hours.
“We hadn’t gone anywhere, so it had to have probably been in our backyard,” she said.
Dr. William Durbin, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at UMass Memorial Medical Center who treated Kailyn, said he typically treats a couple of bites a year from black widows, which are rare in Massachusetts.
About 2,000 people are bitten by black widows in the US annually, though few bites are fatal.
Deaths from these bites usually occur among young children, the elderly and the extremely ill. Luckily, Kailyn’s bite was treated on time and is healing.
Durbin said the dark purple and black colors on the girl’s wound were a result of necrosis, or cell death.
“She had a very distinctive bite, which was very scary for her parents and, of course, the doctors too,” he said.
Now that the black widow scare is being handled by doctors, Donovan said her daughter is ready to spend the summer outside before starting kindergarten in the fall.
“She’s been really good about it,” Donovan said. “Obviously, she wants to go out and play, and we’re trying to keep her in the house for a bit.”
Just to be the safe, Donovan said she planned to spray around and inside her house, hoping to kill any remaining venomous creepy crawlies.
CREDIT: NYPOST
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