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Tribune News Network
Doha
WITH camping season under way, Sidra Medicine has started receiving cases of camping-related injuries among children and teens.
Dr Usama al Kanani, attending physician from the Children’s Emergency Department (CED) at Sidra Medicine, said: “We have started to see more children coming to our Emergency Department with camping-related injuries either sustained at the camp site or on the motorway while on the journey to or back from camp. The most serious injuries in teenagers are those related to four-wheel bikes, also known as All Terrain Vehicles (ATV).”
“In untrained hands and without safety measures, an ATV can cause serious injuries to the head, extremities, neck or abdomen. We have seen cases of children who were ejected from the bike or with broken bones or internal injuries because the ATV rolled over on to them. These children have to undergo multiple imaging while at the CED and be admitted as in-patients to ensure we monitor their progress,” added Dr Kanani.
Other common camping related paediatric injuries reported to the CED include: injuries as a result of children not using a car seat; burns from camp fires or mishandling equipment; foot injuries after stepping on sharp objects like stones or thorns while bare feet; spider, snake or scorpion bites; fractures or sprains due to tripping, slipping or falling down; water related injuries caused by near drowning or jellyfishsting; dehydration and carbon monoxide poisoning.
While not all injuries are equally dangerous, some severe injuries can lead to long term impairments or death. Therefore, the Emergency Department at Sidra Medicine has offered some tips for parents, which are as follows:
? Always wear your seat belt and make sure your children are security strapped in.
? ATVs are meant to be driven by trained children over the age of 12 only and not on the motorway and young drivers should be supervised at all times by an adult. Always make sure your child is wearing a helmet as well as long sleeved clothes.
? Take first aid kits with you to help manage simple injuries. Pack eye drops and pain killers such as children’s ibuprofen or paracetamol.
? Make sure to drink enough water and avoid staying in the sun for too long.
? Always keep your children at a safe distance from the fire especially when lighting the fire and using flammable liquids.
? An adult, with good swimming skills, should always be present when children are swimming.
? Check the tide reports and wind advisories before you head out camping.
? Always shake out shoes in the morning – not only for sand but scorpions, which often like to crawl into shoes overnight.
? Keep your mobile with you to call 999 in case of an emergency.
“If your child sustains burns, then apply cold water (not ice water) for at least 30 minutes to the area. Do not put any creams, oils, tooth paste or other products. Give the child some analgesia like paracetamol or ibuprofen, and then head to the nearest Emergency Department,” Dr Kanani advised.
Poisonings are also very common during the camping season and can be caused by various types of envenomation or smoke inhalation in poorly ventilated tents. Sidra Medicine has a free national poison helpline through its Qatar Poison Center– 40031111 - for poisoning treatment consultation for both children and adults. The free service is available from 9am to 1am, seven days a week.
Dr Leena Amine, manager of Qatar Poison Center said: “If your child has been bitten by a snake or spider or stung by a scorpion or by jellyfish, we strongly recommend calling the Qatar Poison Center. The hotline will advise on appropriate first aid and treatment of each case.”
Doha
WITH camping season under way, Sidra Medicine has started receiving cases of camping-related injuries among children and teens.
Dr Usama al Kanani, attending physician from the Children’s Emergency Department (CED) at Sidra Medicine, said: “We have started to see more children coming to our Emergency Department with camping-related injuries either sustained at the camp site or on the motorway while on the journey to or back from camp. The most serious injuries in teenagers are those related to four-wheel bikes, also known as All Terrain Vehicles (ATV).”
“In untrained hands and without safety measures, an ATV can cause serious injuries to the head, extremities, neck or abdomen. We have seen cases of children who were ejected from the bike or with broken bones or internal injuries because the ATV rolled over on to them. These children have to undergo multiple imaging while at the CED and be admitted as in-patients to ensure we monitor their progress,” added Dr Kanani.
Other common camping related paediatric injuries reported to the CED include: injuries as a result of children not using a car seat; burns from camp fires or mishandling equipment; foot injuries after stepping on sharp objects like stones or thorns while bare feet; spider, snake or scorpion bites; fractures or sprains due to tripping, slipping or falling down; water related injuries caused by near drowning or jellyfishsting; dehydration and carbon monoxide poisoning.
While not all injuries are equally dangerous, some severe injuries can lead to long term impairments or death. Therefore, the Emergency Department at Sidra Medicine has offered some tips for parents, which are as follows:
? Always wear your seat belt and make sure your children are security strapped in.
? ATVs are meant to be driven by trained children over the age of 12 only and not on the motorway and young drivers should be supervised at all times by an adult. Always make sure your child is wearing a helmet as well as long sleeved clothes.
? Take first aid kits with you to help manage simple injuries. Pack eye drops and pain killers such as children’s ibuprofen or paracetamol.
? Make sure to drink enough water and avoid staying in the sun for too long.
? Always keep your children at a safe distance from the fire especially when lighting the fire and using flammable liquids.
? An adult, with good swimming skills, should always be present when children are swimming.
? Check the tide reports and wind advisories before you head out camping.
? Always shake out shoes in the morning – not only for sand but scorpions, which often like to crawl into shoes overnight.
? Keep your mobile with you to call 999 in case of an emergency.
“If your child sustains burns, then apply cold water (not ice water) for at least 30 minutes to the area. Do not put any creams, oils, tooth paste or other products. Give the child some analgesia like paracetamol or ibuprofen, and then head to the nearest Emergency Department,” Dr Kanani advised.
Poisonings are also very common during the camping season and can be caused by various types of envenomation or smoke inhalation in poorly ventilated tents. Sidra Medicine has a free national poison helpline through its Qatar Poison Center– 40031111 - for poisoning treatment consultation for both children and adults. The free service is available from 9am to 1am, seven days a week.
Dr Leena Amine, manager of Qatar Poison Center said: “If your child has been bitten by a snake or spider or stung by a scorpion or by jellyfish, we strongly recommend calling the Qatar Poison Center. The hotline will advise on appropriate first aid and treatment of each case.”
