The parents should be vigilant and compulsorily accompany their children during bursting of crackers on Diwali, opined the medical experts.
It is a common knowledge that on the day of Diwali the cracker induced medical emergency cases are reported in big numbers in all the hospitals and children constitute a major percentage of such cases.
The injury to eye is the most common form of damage caused by the careless bursting of crackers. In the associated hospital of Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) alone 20-25 cases of eye injury are normally reported on the day of Diwali.
The Head of Department of Ophthalmology at the associated hospital of GDMC, Dr Sushil Ojha that the children suffer fire cracker injury of different kinds like Burn, open globe, ruptured globe and intraocular foreign body.
He said that it is advisable that the children should shun bursting of crackers and if they insist than it should be done under the supervision of parents.
“If possible avoid powerful noisy firecrackers, never go and see any firecracker if its not blasted, never burn fire cracker in a glass bottle or pot or inside the dust or from hand directly. Use paper for burning firecracker, so that one can have enough time to run away. last advice is that even if with all precautions injuries happen, then immediately rush to hospital for the specialist consultation and never ever treat injury at home,’’ he said.
The skin specialist posted in the associated hospital of GDMC, Dr Mohammad Sadik Umar said that one should wear full sleeved cotton clothes while bursting the crackers and children below ten years of age should not be allowed to burst them.
He also suggested that a long incense stick should be used to light the crackers so that a safe distance is maintained.
Dr Umar said that maximum numbers of burn cases are reported from Anar (sparklers). He said that cold water should be poured immediately if any burn injury is caused and the person should be rushed to nearest medical facility.
The hospitals also receive many cases of road accidents induced by the firecrackers which the medical experts believe could be reduced if the crackers are burst in a large open space under vigilant eyes of senior members of the society.