Spider Bite

• Bite from a spider

Symptoms of a Spider Bite

• Most spider bites cause local pain, redness and swelling. It's much like a bee sting reaction.
• A few spiders (such as the Black Widow) can cause a more severe reaction.
• Helpful if spider seen on the skin or around the child

Cause of Spider Bite Reactions

• Most spiders have tiny fangs. They inject venom into the skin.
• The venom is what causes all the symptoms.

Types of Spider Bites

Black Widow Spider Bite

• A shiny, jet-black spider with long legs (total size 1 inch or 25 mm).
• A red (or orange) hourglass-shaped marking on its under-side.
• Causes immediate local pain and swelling.
• Sometimes, you can see 2 fang marks at the bite site.
• Severe muscle cramps (especially stomach cramps) occur within 1 to 6 hours. These last 24 to 48 hours.
• Rarely causes death. Exception: bitten by several spiders or small child is bitten.
• Note: many are dry bites because the fangs are small.
• The brown widow spider is related to the black widow. It is found in southern US.
• Brown widow spider bites are treated the same as black widow bites.

Brown Recluse Spider Bite

• A brown spider with long legs (total size ½ inch or 12 mm).
• A dark violin shaped marking on top of its head.
• Causes pain at the bite. Blisters form within 4 to 8 hours.
• The center becomes bluish and depressed (crater-like) over 2 to 3 days.
• Skin damage may require skin grafting in 10% of cases.
• Other symptoms such as fever, vomiting, muscle pain can occur. No life-threatening symptoms occur.
• Brown recluse spiders are hard to identify. If you can, bring the spider along in a jar.

Non-dangerous Spider Bites

• More than 50 spiders in the U.S. have venom. Their bites cause reactions that are not serious. This includes pain or redness at the bite site.
• The bites are painful and swollen. This lasts for 1 or 2 days. They can feel and look like a bee sting.
• Some single, unexplained, tender bites that occur during the night are due to spiders.

Call 911 Now

• Trouble breathing or wheezing
• Passed out (fainted) or too weak to stand
• You think your child has a life-threatening emergency

Go to ER Now

• Black or brown widow spider bite suspected
• Stomach pain, chest tightness or other muscle cramps
• Bite pain is severe and not improved after using care advice

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Fever and bite looks infected (spreading redness)
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• New redness starts more than 24 hours after the bite. Note: any redness in the first 24 hours is due to venom.
• More than 48 hours since the bite and redness now getting larger
• Bite starts to look bad (such as skin damage, blister or purple color)
• Bite pain lasts more than 2 days
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Non-serious spider bite

Care Advice for Non-dangerous Spider Bites

What You Should Know About Spider Bites:

• Most spider bites look and feel like a bee sting.
• The main symptoms are pain and redness.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Clean the Bite:

• Wash the bite well with soap and water.

Cold Pack for Pain:

• For pain or swelling, use a cold pack. You can also use ice wrapped in a wet cloth.
• Put it on the bite for 20 minutes.

Pain Medicine:

• To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
• Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
• Use as needed.

What to Expect:

• The swelling and pain lasts for 1 to 2 days.
• It should not be any worse than a bee sting.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Severe bite pain lasts more than 2 hours after pain medicine
• Stomach pains or muscle cramps occur
• Bite pain lasts more than 2 days (48 hours)
• Bite starts to look infected
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

Care Advice for Non-dangerous Spider Bites

This is a photo of the Black Widow spider.

• The black widow is shiny and black, with long legs (total width 1 inch).
• A red or orange hourglass-shaped marking may be on its underside. However, this marking is not present in all black widow spiders.

This is a photo of the Brown Recluse Spider.

• It is a brown spider with long legs (total width 1/2 inch).
• A violin-shaped marking can be seen on its back.