Bites and stings resources toolkit

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About this toolkit

The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network (SCHN) has worked with our clinicians to produce the following resources to be shared. 

The resources below are free to use and share widely on social media and other digital platforms of community and health organisations. This includes schools, daycares, medical clinics, public health networks, Local Health Districts, NGOs and community centres.

Videos

Marine stings



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🦑🐠 Australia is home to beautiful marine creatures, but some can give a life-threatening sting or bite if they feel scared. 

🌊💡 This summer, teach your kids to look but not touch when exploring the beach! 

🚑 If a child is bitten or stung by a blue-ringed octopus, cone snail, or stonefish, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. 

#BeachSafety #LookButDontTouch #WaterSafety #ChildSafety #SummerSafety 

Snake bites

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MP4, 27.7MB
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🐍 Australia is home to some of the world’s most venomous snakes that can give a life-threatening bite if they feel scared. 

🌿💡 This summer, teach your kids to look but not touch when adventuring outdoors! 

🚑 If a child gets bitten, every second counts. Treat any bite as serious and call Triple Zero (000) immediately. 

#SnakeSafety #OutdoorSafety #LookButDontTouch #ChildSafety #SummerSafety 

Spider bites

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MP4, 52.6MB
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🕷️ The Sydney Funnel-web is one of the deadliest spiders in the world. It can give a life-threatening bite if it feels scared.

🌳💡 This summer, teach your kids to look but not touch when playing outdoors! 

🚑 If your child is bitten by a big black spider, treat it as an emergency and call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

#SpiderSafety #OutdoorSafety #LookButDontTouch #ChildSafety #SummerSafety

Social media

Text: Hot or cold water? Tips to soothe the summer sting.

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Text: How to soothe a blue bottle sting. 
          1: Cover your hand with a towel and gently remove tentacles. 
          2: Pour seawater over the area to remove 'invisible' tentacles. 
          3: If possible, immerse the affected area in very warm water, or run warm water over the sting for 20 minutes.

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JPEG, 4.63MB
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Text: No warm water? Use an ice pack wrapped in a towel, or cold running water.

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Text: Summer Safety Series: Help keep kids safe and out-of-hospital this summer. 
          For more tips and resources, visit schn.health.nsw.gov.au/kids-health-hub

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🌊 Blue bottles are back for summer! These stingers can cause intense pain, red wavy lines, and joint aches.  Teach children not to touch them regardless of whether they are on the beach or in the water. 🐚🔥 

If your child gets stung: 1️⃣ Get them out of the water. 2️⃣ Find a lifeguard or call for help.  

No lifeguard? No worries! Follow the first aid steps and call the Poisons Information Centre at 13 11 26. 

Stay safe, look but don’t touch, and enjoy the summer! ☀️💦 

Text: First-aid wrap-up. Funnel-web spider or snake bite? 
          1: Call Triple Zero (000). 
          2. Wrap a pressure bandage over the entire limb (from fingers to shoulder, or toes to hip) and keep it straight a still. 
          3: Keep calm and wait for an ambulance.

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Text: Do not panic or run; wash, cut, or suck the bite area; 
          try to catch or handle the spider or snake; 
          apply a tourniquet; 
          bring the snake or spider to the hospital.

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Text: Bite into this. 
          1: Australia is home to some of the world's most enomous snakes and spiders! 
          2: Funnel-web spider and some snake bites can be life-threatning. 
          3: Identifying spiders and snakes in the wild is tough, so treat all bites as serious. 
          4: Call Triple Zero (000) immediately for a snake bute or any bite from a big, black spider. 
          5: Save or share this post to have essential first aid info handy on your next outdoor adventure!

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JPEG, 2.88MB
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Text: Summer Safety Series: Help keep kids safe and out-of-hospital this summer. 
          For more tips and resources, visit schn.health.nsw.gov.au/kids-health-hub

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Australia has a reputation for everything wanting to bite, sting or eat you. Whether your kids are bushwalking, or playing in the backyard, it’s important to be alert and stay safe. 

🚨  A reminder to teach children to:  

  • shake out shoes and clothes before wearing them  
  • wear shoes and long pants in grassy or bush areas  
  • keep their distance if they see a snake or spider and to stay calm and back away slowly.  

🩹 For outdoor adventures, pack basic first aid supplies, including an elastic bandage and save this post so you are prepared for your summer adventures! 

Email and newsletter

Long-form newsletter article

Short-form newsletter article

Web and email signature banner

Text: Summer Safety: Bites and stings. 
          Summer = Stinger season. 
          Learn to stay safe at schn.health.nsw.gov.au

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JPEG, 81KB
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Text: Summer Safety: Bites and stings. Summer = Snakes + spiders season. Learn to stay safe at schn.health.nsw.gov.au

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JPEG, 67KB
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Factsheet links

Posters and digital signage

Landscape digital signage

Text: Soothe the summer sting. Learn to stay safe from marine bites and stings this summer.

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JPEG, 3.80MB
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Landscape digital signage

Text: Protext little adventurers from bites this summer. Learn to stay safe from snake and spider bites this summer.

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JPEG, 4.50MB
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Printable poster

Text: Keep your child safe this summer. Scan the QR code to read the latest health and safety information at home and outdoors during the warm weather.

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PDF, 279KB