Take care and play safe

Now that Diwali is just around the corner, all households have started preparing for what is perhaps the biggest festival in the country. It is the time for fun and festivity regardless of age. Anyone from a six to a sixty - year-old enjoys firing crackers and having their favourite sweets on this auspicious day. 

But, each year the number of accidents and injuries reported during this time act as a dampener to the season’s festive spirit. With a little caution and awareness, most of these unfortunate accidents can be prevented by following some basic tips. 

Dr Lalit Mohan Parashar, ENT specialist at Nova Speciality Surgery shares some valuable tips with Metrolife. “Noise more than 135 decibels can make a hole in the ear drum. And these high intensity crackers produce sound more than 150 decibels. The loud blast and the impact by the air pressure can damage the outer and inner ear and the nervous system of the ears as well. Some of these damages are curable but some can also be of permanent nature.”  
Those who are allergic to dust particles may get a running nose; throat infection and irritation in the wind pipe that may lead to asthmatic attacks. Dr Lalit, adds, “One should always take care of the fact that children are always surrounded by elders while firing crackers. They should be under supervision with all fire safety measures in place. The most dangerous are the improperly made crackers like the snake cracker which emits a large amount of smoke that is really harmful when you inhale it.”
People tend to get carried away during festivals. Recently, nearly 20 people died during the Ganpati visarjan in the Capital. One needs to take care of the fact that precautions are utmost important than inviting any accident. Dr Pinak Shrikhande, Additional Director, critical care, Fortis, Shalimar Bagh, shares, “Minor burns during this festival is very common but the number of major accidents have reduced in the recent past. If one is burnt, he or she should wash the wound with running water and then put some antibiotic ointment on it.”

Burns can be of two types – superficial burns and deep burns. Superficial burns which affect only the upper layer, are the most painful. These wounds are red in colour. Deep burns are those which affect the inner most skin but are not as painful as the area affected gets numb. These wounds are pink or white in colour and need immediate attention. 
Precautions:

* Try not to let little children indulge in pranks like throwing crackers around.* Wearing loose-fitted clothes is a call for disaster. Dupattas and scarves should be avoided while handling fireworks. Avoid nylon garments and stick to cottons which have a lesser tendency to catch fire.* Closed shoes are preferable as they protect feet from sparks.* Keep a bucket of water and sand around . * Ensure that the crackers are lit in an open ground away from any wiring.* Buy only reputed brands of fireworks and maintain a safe distance while lighting them.* Always place the cracker on the ground before attempting to light it. Never lean over a cracker to light it.* Many crackers contain toxins and it is better to rinse off hands, feet and face before eating anything after using them.