Main Symptoms

• Bite from a spider seen on the skin.
• Onset of bite symptoms (redness, pain, swelling) and a spider is seen in close proximity.

Types of Spider Bites

1. Black Widow Spider Bite
   - A shiny, jet-black spider with long legs (total size 1 inch).
   - A red (or orange) hourglass-shaped marking on its under-side.
   - Causes immediate local mild pain, swelling and occasionally 2 fang marks.
   - Severe muscle cramps are present by 1 to 6 hours, and 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.
   
   
2. Brown Recluse Spider Bite
   - A brown spider with long legs (total size 1/2 inch).
   - A dark violin-shaped marking on top of its head.
   - Causes local pain and delayed blister formation in 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.
   - Systemic symptoms such as fever, vomiting, myalgias can occur (but no life-threatening symptoms).
   
   
3. Non-dangerous Spider Bites
   - More than 50 spiders in the U.S. have venom and can cause local, nonserious reactions.
   - The bites are painful and mildly swollen for 1 or 2 days (much like a bee sting).
   - Most single, unexplained, tender bites that occur during the night are due to spiders.

Call 911 Now (your child may need an ambulance)

• Difficulty breathing or swallowing.

See More Appropriate Topic

• If not a spider bite, see INSECT BITE.

(To go directly to this topic, click on the link following this document.)

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If

• Your child looks or acts very sick.
• Any black widow spider bite.
• FIRST AID for Black Widow Spider Bites:  Apply an ice cube or ice pack to the bite for 20 minutes to reduce the spread of the venom (no tourniquet).
• Abdominal pain, chest tightness or other muscle cramps.
• Bite pain is severe.
• Bite looks infected (red streaking from the bite area, yellow drainage).  (Note: infection doesn't start until at least 24-48 hours after the bite.  Any redness in the first 24 hours is due to venom.)

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 and 4) If

• You think your child needs to be seen.
• Bite starts to look bad (e.g. skin damage, blister or purplish - not just swelling).
• Bite pain persists for more than 2 days.
• NOTE: Since brown recluse spiders are hard to identify, bring the spider along in a jar.

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If

• You have other questions or concerns.

Parent Care at Home

• Non-serious spider bite and you don't think your child needs to be seen.

Home Care Advice for Nondangerous Spider Bites

1. Cleansing:  Wash the bite thoroughly with soap and water.
   
   
2. Meat Tenderizer:  Rub the bite area with a cotton ball soaked in a meat tenderizer solution for 20 minutes (Exception: avoid if near the eye).  If not available, apply an ice cube for 20 minutes.
   
   
3. Pain Medicine:  Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed for pain.
   
   
4. Expected Course:  Some swelling and pain for 1 to 2 days.  It shouldn't be any worse than a bee sting.
   
   
5. Call Your Doctor If:
   
   Severe bite pain persists for more than 2 hours after pain medicine.
   
   Abdominal pains or muscle spasms occur.
   
   Local pain lasts more than 2 days (48 hours).
   
   Bite begins to look infected.
   
   Your child becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.

Parent Care for Pediatric Symptoms. Copyright © 2000. Barton D. Schmitt, MD, FAAP

See related topics:

• Insect Bite