Today is Friday July 23, and that means one thing – school’s out for summer!
Kids nationwide will be on the loose for the next six weeks, with parents often at wits end on how to deal with their children’s excess energy.
Some parents may want to take their kids away to the seaside for either a short weekend, or an even longer staycation.
READ MORE:7 best beach locations in London without leaving the city
On paper this is a great idea. Afterall, what could be better than chillaxing on a scorching hot beach somewhere with a solero, and even a bottle of prosecco.
Not much. But trips to the beaches can end in disaster, and this is often down to the work of a sly little critter.
The holiday destroyers go by the name of Weever Fish.
They like to bury themselves in soft sand, hence why they’re found in popular beaches.
Despite being around two inches in length, they’re painful little menaces.
On their backs they have a series of toxic spines which, when stepped on, can leave you in absolute agony.
In fact, their neurotoxic venom is so potent that they can even cause excruciating pain when dead.
Symptoms from stepping on weever fish include swelling, itching, numbness, headaches, joint aches, and occasionally vomiting.
You’ll be pleased to know however, if you do get stung, that it’s not life-threatening.
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There has only ever been one recorded death and that happened in 1933 due to a vast number of stings.
Fortunately treating the sting is pretty simple. It’s important to initially find a source of hot water – as hot as the victim can bear, but comfortable enough to stick your feet into.
This reduces the effectiveness of the venom by breaking down it’s protein, and it helps to reduce spasms.
Annoyingly though, there’s no anti-toxin for the sting. It’s recommended to keep the small wound open and let it bleed out the venom. The blood loss won’t be high and this will help to clear your body of some of the toxins.
Also ensure that there aren’t any of the fish’s spines still in the wound. Removing them with tweezers immediately is very important.
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https://www.mylondon.news/news/health/summer-holidays-urgent-warning-londoners-21130159
