Doctors are sounding the alarm. Barbecues often end up in the hospital emergency room

In one of the posts published on social media, specialists draw attention to a serious problem that intensifies in spring and summer, with the start of the barbecue season. This results in many unfortunate accidents that can lead to severe disability or even life-threatening. That is why it is so important to remain vigilant and, above all, use common sense. Doctors are sounding the alarm.

Grilling accidents

The barbecue season causes a lot of work for medics from the Upper Silesian Children's Health Center employed in the hospital emergency department. Only in the last year, several patients were admitted to the emergency room with serious injuries resulting from the explosion of barbecue lighters. As doctors emphasize in the released message, such wounds are painful and take a long time to heal.

The burns with which young people come to GCZD are not only superficial injuries to their hands. We often come to see patients whose faces, necks, abdomen, chests and entire upper limbs are burned after an explosion of kindling. If these are deep burns, the young person may end up disabled for the rest of his life, we read in the post.

Specialists emphasize that children are most often the victims of accidents. They occur not only during grilling, but also after it. Heated ash that has not been properly protected can also cause burns. Doctors point out one more very important issue – lighting the grill should always be done by adults. They must also supervise it at all times and keep children away from the grill. Neglecting this duty creates serious danger. The youngest children left without attention and care may lose their health and often their lives. Careless parents, as doctors point out, may face criminal liability.

Burns in children – first aid

Doctors from the Upper Silesian Children's Health Center. Saint John Paul II in Katowice emphasize that the most important thing is an immediate reaction from adults. Specialists from Katowice remind us in their post about what parents can do to help their child:

In the event of a burn injury in a child, the basic action is to cool the wound with water at room temperature for at least 15 minutes so that the heat is released and does not cause deeper damage. You should use cool water with a temperature of about 20 degrees – ice or very cold water causes blood vessels to constrict, which only deepens the injury. Then cover the wound with a clean dressing and call paramedics or see a doctor as soon as possible. You can also give your child painkillers. You should not use any foams, creams or gels, not to mention “grandmother's” methods such as buttermilk – all this slows down proper treatment. You should also not give your child food before visiting the emergency department, as this may make the anesthesia of the small patient more difficult.

One must not forget about one thing – even a harmless, at first glance, burn may turn out to be very dangerous. Only after 48-72 hours can the patient's actual condition be assessed. Therefore, you should not ignore any wound and take your child to a doctor as soon as possible.