Many doctors say that profile of patients who were injured last Deepavali were under 14 and a good number of those who sustained injuries were innocent passersby.
While Deepavali is one of the most anticipated festival for Hindus, it is also the time where the hospital emergency rooms see high admissions.
High number of burns cases and eye injuries are the darkside of the festival of lights. Many doctors say that profile of patients who were injured last Deepavali were under 14 and a good number of those who sustained injuries were innocent passersby.
Avoid bombs, rockets
Dr Bhujung Shetty, Chairman and Managing Director, Narayana Netralaya says while purchasing crackers, one should avoid buying bombs and rockets as these fireworks cause the most damage during accidents. While storing the fireworks, it should be kept put out of reach of children.
Dr Shetty also strongly advises that tiny tots should absolutely not be allowed to handle fireworks, not even sparklers as even if a spark gets into the eye it can cause a burn. Bigger children too should be supervised by parents, he says.
Rajanna, RMO, Bowring Hospital says, the highest number of injuries were due to flower pots and rockets. Many children light flower pots in their hands which can burst or rockets when they are not positioned right can go off horizontally causing injuries.
Superficial burns can be caused by the hot metal holders from sparklers when they are carelessly tossed on the road.
POINTERS
*Wear cotton clothes while bursting crackers. Do not wear nylon.
*Wear tight fitting clothes as loose fitting clothes tend to catch fire.
*Wear footwear while handling the fireworks at all times.
*Wear protective glasses while burning crackers
*Use agarbathis and sparklers which are long enough.
*Do not cover crackers with tins or bottles as it can cause serious injuries.
*Keep a bucket of sand or water ready to douse a fire
*Many burn crackers inside a compound and throw it onto the road which is dangerous. Burst crackers in open spaces or at a ground nearby.
*Burning crackers on the road is dangerous, unaware comm uters and passersby may get injured.
*Children tend to pile burnt and unburnt crackers and light it up.
*Don't light flower pots keeping it in your hand.
*Don't cover crackers with bottles or a lid.
PRECAUTIONS
Eye injuries
*Don’t put water into the eyes
*Ask the injured person to close their eyelid and put a clean wet cloth over it
*Rush to an eye specialist
Burns *Don’t apply ink or cod liver oil on burns
*Pour cold water slowly on the hand or foot which has sustained burns till it becomes cool
*Take the patient to the doctor
CONSIDER THESE FACTS
*Children aged 14 years and less constitute more than 40 per cent of those injured by fire crackers
*Frequent sites of injuries - home, street and parking lots
*Fireworks related injuries usually involve hand and fingers (40 per cent of the cases) head and face (20 per cent of the cases) and eyes (18 per cent of the cases)
