A DeKalb County elementary student was bitten by a non-venomous snake during a physical education class Tuesday, the school confirmed.
The Smokerise Elementary student was taken to a hospital as a precaution, but the child is expected to be OK, Channel 2 Action News reported. It’s unclear what species of snake bit the student while he or she was outside on the school’s field.
The school handed a statement to parents as they picked up their children that said, in part: “Emergency medical services were contacted. They were provided with the snake and stated that they believed it to be non-venomous.”
MORE: Photos: Georgia's venomous snakes and how to identify them
There are only six species of snakes known to reside in Georgia that are venomous: copperhead, cottonmouth, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, timber/canebrake rattlesnake, pigmy rattlesnake and eastern coral snake.
If bitten by a snake, you're supposed to remain calm, try to note the color and shape of the snake and wash the bite with soap and water before dressing the wound, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you believe the snake is venomous, call 911 or your local emergency medical services.
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There are common misconceptions of what to do if bitten by a venomous snake, which only makes the situation worse. You shouldn’t make a tourniquet or attempt to restrict blood flow from the affected area, and you shouldn’t try to suck the venom out from the wound, the CDC said. You also shouldn’t apply ice or water to the wound, and you shouldn’t drink alcohol as a painkiller.
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