Background: In India, about 2 lakh snake bites are reported annually, of which 35,000-50,000 people die, out of 216 Indian snake species, 52 are poisonous, despite the availability of polyvalent snake antivenom, inappropriate first aid, regional effects of envenomation and inappropriate use of antivenom result in significant and at times potentially avoidable morbidity and mortality, particularly in children. Snake bite is a neglected disease that afflicts the most impoverished inhabitants of the rural areas in the tropical developing countries. Aims and objectives: To study the clinical profile and outcome of snake bite envenomation in children. Setting: Kamineni Hospital attached with Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences Narketpally District Nalgonda, State Telangana. Study Design: A retrospective hospital record based descriptive study. Materials and methods: The study was done by reviewing case records at Medical Record department of KIMS Narketpally, for all children (≤12years) admitted in Department of Paediatric with snake bite envenomation from August 2011 to July 2013. Relevant information was entered in a pre-structured proforma which include age, sex, site of bite, time interval between snakebite and initiation of treatment, and the outcomes of snakebite cases. The statistical tests applied were percentage and ‘T’ test. Results: Among a total of 24 cases, 16 (66.67%) were males and 8 (33.33%) were females. The highest incidence of snake bite was observed in the age group of 9 to 12 years (50%). 15 (62.5%) were bitten during day and 9 (37.5%) during night time. 12 (50%) cases were bitten on lower extremity, followed by 7 (29.2%) on upper extremity, 3(12.5%) on the trunk and 2 (8.3%) on head and neck. Conclusion: Time elapsed between snake bite to hospitalisation plays a major role in deciding the outcome. There is need to educate the community about the prevention of snake bite and early hospitalisation of snake bite cases.
