Dogs are unfortunately more likely to bite children, and according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) half of the people who seek medical assistance from a dog bite are children. Teaching your child to play safely with dogs is important, but accidents and serious injuries can always happen outside of your control.
What Serious Injuries Can My Child Experience After a Dog Bite?
- Infections. Some infections that your child could experience are staph, strep, pasteurellosis, tetanus, and others. Symptoms of a dog bite infection are redness, pain, swelling, tenderness, loss of sensation, fever, and muscle weakness. Speak to your doctor once your child is experiencing any of these symptoms.
- Emotional trauma. With serious dog bites, your child has experienced trauma and might actually develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the injury. Speak to your child about his or her emotions after the incident, and don’t hesitate to seek professional help if your child is struggling with the recovery process.
- Scarring and disfigurement. Scars from the dog bite injury can result in physical and emotional turmoil. Your child could be extremely self-conscious and suffer in school and other everyday activities. Medical procedures are available to help repair scar tissue, but these surgeries are expensive, and they will not completely erase the scars.
If your child has experienced a serious dog bite injury, you should first seek immediate medical attention and try to wash the wound site and stop the bleeding. Also, don’t forget to report the incident to your local animal control authority. If your child’s injuries were due to someone else’s negligence, you could possibly recover compensation. Contact the personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Braid Pezzaglia today for a free consultation.
