As Halloween and Bonfire Night near, we spoke with one of our acute matrons Jennie Bloom about the sort of illnesses and injuries she treats during this time of year, and how to avoid hospital this Halloween and Bonfire Night.
As an acute matron working across our A&E and Urgent Treatment Centres, I see many injuries during this time of year. While these occasions are great fun, they come with hidden risks for both children and adults. Two of the most common emergencies we see are choking on sweets and injuries from fireworks or sparklers. Taking a few precautions can help you avoid spending the night in A&E.
Halloween sweets, especially hard, sticky, or chewy types, can pose a serious choking risk, particularly for younger children. Hard sweets, marshmallows, and chewy toffees are frequent culprits. Children under five are especially vulnerable as they may not have the skills to chew these properly. To reduce the risk:
- Supervise younger children when they’re eating, especially if they’ve collected sweets while trick-or-treating.
- Avoid giving hard or sticky sweets to very young children.
- Cut sweets into smaller pieces where possible or offer age-appropriate treats like chocolate buttons or soft jelly sweets.
- If your child is choking and coughing, encourage them to cough it up. If they stop breathing, you’ll need to administer back blows and abdominal thrusts. Be sure to familiarise yourself with these techniques before the night begins.
Bonfire Night is another exciting event for families, but fireworks and sparklers are extremely dangerous if mishandled. Every year, we see children with burns, often from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of over 1000°C, making them one of the most common causes of serious burns.
- Always supervise children closely around fireworks and sparklers.
- Don’t give sparklers to children under five. They may seem harmless, but they can cause severe burns in seconds.
- Make sure children wear gloves and hold sparklers at arm’s length.
- Keep a bucket of water nearby for spent sparklers and any emergency.
By following these safety tips, you can help ensure your children enjoy Halloween and Bonfire Night without any trips to A&E. Have fun, but please keep safety in mind. Remember, a little caution can prevent a major injury.
