DAILY TELEGRAPH (Sydney, Australia) 14 February 07 Snake bites toddler playing in back yard (Nick Higginbottom and Mark Buttler)
A Victorian toddler has become the latest victim of this summer's spate of snake attacks.
The 20-month-old boy was rushed to hospital after he was treated at a Langwarrin medical centre where his mother took him yesterday.
The boy was playing in the back yard of his family's Langwarrin home when the snake bit him on the knee. The yard at the Union Rd property backs on to a creek.
His mother realised the toddler was distressed and thought his nappy needed to be changed when she noticed two puncture marks on his knee.
Metropolitan Ambulance Service paramedic Kevin Cooper said the mother's quick action might have saved the boy's life.
He said any venom injected into such a small child would have had a far greater impact than on an adult.
"There could have been dire consequences. It's vital that mum picked him up so quickly," Mr Cooper said.
"It just shows how vigilant you need to be."
Mr Cooper said a doctor at the clinic did a good job treating the wound before the ambulance arrived.
A hospital spokesman said the boy was in a stable condition last night.
"He's bright, he's alert and he's stable for the meantime," he said.
Snake bites toddler playing in back yard