5-year-old Girl Stung by Scorpion in Backyard Pool on Mother's Day Weekend

LAS VEGAS – Kim Chmielewski had a frightening Mother’s Day weekend when her 5-year-old daughter, Cate, was stung by a scorpion while swimming in their backyard pool. According to KLAS, a bark scorpion, which is one of the most venomous scorpions in the United States, crawled along the bottom of the pool and stung Cate on her upper leg.

Kim rushed her daughter to the hospital, where Cate was given Benadryl and discharged after being told what symptoms to look out for. However, just an hour later, Cate began experiencing involuntary movements and twitches, which quickly progressed to full-body muscle spasms. Kim immediately called 911, and they went back to the hospital, where Cate received three doses of antivenin and spent the rest of Mother’s Day weekend recovering.

Thankfully, Cate has since made a full recovery and even jumped back into the backyard pool where the incident occurred. However, Kim told 8 News Now that they will now check their pool for scorpions every time before getting in, despite spraying their yard for them.

Bark scorpions, like the one that stung Cate, are commonly found in western parts of the United States and are often drawn to pools by their prey, which includes small insects. If you or someone you know experiences a scorpion sting, it’s important to watch out for symptoms such as face rubbing, numbness, tingling, rapid eye movements, and increased salivation. Children and older adults are more likely to develop severe symptoms, and those who do should call poison control or seek medical attention immediately.

Credits: 8 News Now