Pune: To avoid burns and injuries during Diwali, people should not wear loose garments and inflammable fabrics like nylon and polyester, doctors have opined.
Dr Dinesh Lalwani from Yerawada said cardiac patients should stay away from loud crackers. “Smoke and smell can be allergens to cardiac patients. Also, children and pregnant women should take care that they don’t come in direct contact with firecrackers. Hands should be washed if a person touches crackers,” said Lalwani.
Dr Somnath Salgar from Sassoon General Hospital said that in case a person gets burned, there are certain dos and don’ts that should be followed. “Clothes should be removed from the burned area immediately. Cool water should be sprinkled over the area. The water should not be too cold as it may cause the burn to heal slowly. Home remedies should not be applied, as this increases risk of infection. A doctor should be consulted immediately,” said Dr Salgar.
Talking abut children’s health, Dr Amita Phadnis, Pediatrician and Neonatologist at Oyester and Pearl Hospital said prolonged and direct exposure to firecrackers should be avoided, especially for kids with respiratory issues and those prone to allergies. “Infants must be kept at bay from the noise and smoke. Habit of eating sweets should be regulated. Kids can enjoy the festivities by dressing up well,” said Dr Phadnis.
Voicing his views on safety, Dr Mahesh Kumar Manohar Lakhe, Consultant - Internal Medicine and Infectious diseases, Columbia Asia Hospital, Pune said, “When dressing up for the festival, women and girls should refrain from wearing loose clothes like saris, frocks, anarkalis and those made with inflammable fibers like nylon and terrycot. Cotton clothes should be worn. Moreover, fire extinguishers and buckets full of water should always be kept ready, to provide immediate relief, in case clothes catch fire. A first aid kit should also be kept handy.”
Basic dos and don’ts this Diwali
- Use cotton clothes and avoid synthetic fibres
- Avoid trying to relight a dud cracker
- Children must be supervised by adults
- Limit children’s exposure time to crackers, especially those with respiratory issues
- In case of cracker burn, clothes must be removed from burned area, cool water must be poured and a doctor must be called
- Cardiac patients should stay away from loud crackers
