While states began to loosen laws related to firework sales during the last decade, new researcher reveals that emergency doctors observed an increase in both the number of fireworks-related injuries among children and the severity of these injuries. Although the findings have yet to be published, they will be presented at the Pediatrics Academic Societies 2016 Meeting on May 3.
The study examined federal and state data from the National Inpatient Sample, which contains data on eight million hospital stays each year, as well as the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, which compiles information on 30 million discharges from emergency medical facilities each year.
The results revealed that patients under the age of 21 treated and released for fireworks-related burn injuries by emergency departments rose considerably between 2006 and 2012. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in injuries requiring admission to the hospital for treatment, shooting up from 29 percent of cases in 2006 to 50 percent in 2012.
"The increase in fireworks-related injuries and the severity of these injuries in children since 2006 are very concerning," said Charles Woods, associate chair of pediatrics at the University of Louisville and co-author of the study. "Although our findings do not prove a direct link to relaxations in state laws governing fireworks sales, it may be time for lawmakers to reassess this issue. Parents and caregivers of children also should be aware of these increasingly serious injuries and the potential dangers involved in allowing young children to handle and play with fireworks."
"Pediatric fireworks-related burn injuries have increased in incidence, apparent severity of injury, the proportion requiring hospitalization and length-of-stay in the hospital in a time period of relaxed fireworks laws in the United States," added John Myers, lead author of the study as a researcher in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville. "These findings suggest that policy-makers should revisit current fireworks laws for the safety of children."
Although the results are concerning, they should be treated as preliminary until they are published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The abstract of the study, "Effect of Fireworks Laws on Pediatric Fireworks Related Burn Injuries," can be viewed here.
