Quick reaction

Daniel Super was the victim of a snake attack at the Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens last Sunday. 128262

By BRIDGET SCOTT

Mum praises botanic gardens after son’s snake bite…

DESPITE a potentially fatal snake attack on her son last weekend, Narre Warren mother Miranda Super said wouldn’t deter anyone from visiting the Cranbourne Royal Botanic Gardens.
And she had nothing but praise for the garden staff who responded quickly by bandaging the boy and calling in paramedics.
When the Super family planned a visit to the Cranbourne gardens last Sunday, nobody could predict the dramatic and slithering twist the day would take.
During the family of four’s walk around the well-known Cranbourne destination, three-year-old Daniel stepped on a tiger snake, one of Australia’s most venomous.
As a result, the young superman was bitten twice on his leg and soon after rushed to Dandenong Hospital where he remained in the Intensive Care Unit overnight.
Mum Miranda Super said her son naturally panicked when he was bitten.
“The snake got him twice on his leg,” she said.
“The first bite was a warning bite and is slightly bruised, but the second was venomous.”
Mrs Super said she was not put off at all from going back and described the staff and their quick action as “fantastic”.
An Ambulance Victoria spokeswoman said medics received a call about 10.50am on Sunday morning.
Mrs Super said her son took a turn for the worst before he received antivenom.
“Daniel was going downhill rapidly,” she said.
“After the antivenom took effect he went to Monash Hospital and was in ICU overnight.”
After 24 hours he was then moved to the children’s ward at Monash Hospital.
Daniel’s mum said that once her son started to pick up, the hardest part wasn’t overcoming the snake bite.
“He wasn’t enjoying being confined to a bed,” she said.
“He prefers the children’s ward where he can walk around.”
Daniel was expected to be released from hospital on Tuesday afternoon and was scheduled to visit a plastic surgeon at Dandenong yesterday (Wednesday).
Mrs Super said the doctors were keeping a close eye on one of the bites, and said the wound area was surrounded by dead skin and tissue.
“It can cause muscle issues but he doesn’t appear to have any.”