Proposed classifications of snakebite wounds described in the
literature most often combine findings on physical examination with
laboratory evidence of systemic envenomation. One group stratifies
snakebite envenomations into “Minimal,” “Moderate,” and “Severe”
categories, using the severity of the wound, systemic symptoms, and
coagulation abnormalities [3]. Another group bases the severity of
envenomation on the presence of symptoms in multiple organ
systems (pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematologic,
and central nervous), and has less of an emphasis on wound
appearance [4]. Neither scheme has been validated in a pediatric
population. Our proposed classification method emphasizes physical
findings of the wound, as the majority of patients did not have
significant laboratory abnormalities or systemic symptoms despite a
high rate of envenomation.