Treatment for Human Bites

What is the treatment for human bites?

Remain calm and reassure your child that you can help. Your child's healthcare provider will talk with you about specific treatment for a human bite. Treatment may include:

• If the bite is bleeding, apply pressure to it with a clean bandage or towel to stop the bleeding.

• Wash the wound with soap and water under pressure from a faucet for at least 5 minutes. Do not scrub, as this may bruise the tissue.

• Dry the wound and cover it with a sterile dressing. Do not use tape or butterfly bandages to close the wound. This could trap harmful bacteria in the wound.

• Human bites are often treated with antibiotics to prevent infection. Call your child's healthcare provider to find out if additional treatment or a tetanus booster is needed.

If the either the biter or the person who was bitten has a systemic illness, such as HIV, both people may need to be tested to see what treatment is needed.