Falls, drowning and burns lead accidents among children on vacation

School holidays require extra attention from parents, as revealed by a survey carried out by the São Paulo State Department of Health. The data shows that, during the January and July 2023 holidays, there was an 84.5% increase in domestic accidents involving children in the state of São Paulo.

According to the secretariat, during the 2023 school holidays, 969 visits and hospitalizations were recorded for children under 12 due to domestic accidents, while in 2022 there were 525 incidents of this type.

Furthermore, the months of December 2022 and July 2023 were those that recorded the most outpatient care and hospitalizations for children – with 403 and 508 occurrences, respectively. The data only considers care provided through the Unified Health System (SUS) in the state of São Paulo.

The majority of these accidents are caused by drowning, falls, burns and accidental poisoning due to exposure to harmful substances. Therefore, the department warns about the importance of parents and guardians being more attentive during children's vacations.

“Today, the use of screens, especially cell phones, generates greater inattention on the part of those responsible and, consequently, accidents occur. It’s in that second of distraction that domestic accidents occur,” said pediatrician Silvana Grotteria, responsible for the emergency department at Darcy Vargas Children’s Hospital, in a statement.

Domestic accidents

Falls lead the ranking of domestic accidents involving children. According to the secretariat, of the 4,200 clinical procedures and hospitalizations carried out in the state of São Paulo between January and October last year, 4,100 involved falls.

“In cases of serious trauma and falls from great heights, parents should take their children to the emergency room, or if the child shows warning signs, such as headaches, nausea, vomiting or changes in the level of consciousness”, advised the pediatrician.

Accidents involving drowning and burns are also a concern. Of the 14 hospitalizations that occurred between January and October 2023 due to drowning, nine occurred during school holidays. During the same period, 19 hospitalizations due to burns were recorded, eight of which occurred in the months of January and July.

To avoid domestic accidents, the department informs that it is important that parents do not leave children and babies alone and install protective bars or screens on cribs, stairs and windows.

It is also necessary to prevent children from accessing places that pose a greater risk, such as kitchens and laundry rooms. Another warning from the secretariat is to protect sockets and electrical installations. It is also important to use sunscreen and avoid exposure to the sun between 10am and 4pm.