When it comes to kids and fireworks, adults should let the professionals handle it. Brigid Straub, program coordinator at Children’s Wisconsin Safety Center says even sparklers pose risks. “They actually burn at 1200 degrees. That’s hot enough to melt glass and they don’t stop staying hot right when they stop sparkling. So that often causes other burns and it can ignite clothing.”
And kids can still be injured even if adults are supervising. “Just this past 4th of July, the Children’s Wisconsin Emergency Department saw two blinding eye injuries, two children from fireworks, and they were actually just bystanders,” Straub said.
Nationwide, teens ages 15 to 19 had the highest rate of ER-treated injuries. Children between the ages of 5 and 9 had the second highest rate. The bottom line says Straub, take your kids to see professional fireworks.
“It’s really important for supervision if there are going to be fireworks done that aren’t in a professional setting, really making sure that everybody is aware and you’re keeping your eyes on your children,” said Straub. “And then the best advice would be to leave the fireworks to the professionals.”
Find out how to keep kids safe on the Children’s Wisconsin website.